Both Republicans, Democrats want more school security
- There were 93 school shootings from 2020-2021, per federal data
- Republicans and Democrats have been divided on how to solve this issue
- Politicians on both sides say better security in schools is needed
(NewsNation) — After numerous shootings at U.S. schools in recent years, families have been asking for solutions to keep their kids safe.
In the 2020-2021 school year, there were 93 school shootings with casualties, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, 43 resulted in deaths.
While this has led most Democrats to call for added gun legislation, such as age restrictions and an assault weapons ban, some Republicans are pushing for teachers to be armed to defend against active shooter situations.
There is one thing both sides apparently agree on, though, and that is the need for more school security.
Republican presidential candidates like former President Donald Trump have been urging states to invest more in school security.
Politico reported over the weekend that President Joe Biden will not stand in their way.
Although Biden has said before that “schools should not feel like prisons,” Politico writes that Biden is not necessarily denying calls from “conservatives clamoring to step up classroom defenses after deadly shootings in Tennessee and Texas.”
The White House has been reminding states that they have access to $1 billion in federal funds for school safety, which were approved after the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas that killed 21 people.
Louisiana, for instance, plans to use $21 million to bolster school entryways, install new surveillance systems and beef up perimeters.
“Guns are the number one killer of kids in America, and the president will work with anyone on real solutions to this problem,” a White House official said of Biden’s position, per Politico.
Still, according to the news outlet, giving teachers firearms is a proposal that Biden strongly opposes.