Despite Opposition from Volunteers with Moms Demand Action, Kentucky Senate Passes Bill to Put More Guns in Schools 

FRANKFORT, KY – Today, the Kentucky chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statements after Senate lawmakers passed SB 2, a bill that would allow school districts to put armed veterans or retired law enforcement in K-12 schools through a “guardian” program in place of or in addition to school resource officers. SB 2 will now be debated in the House. 

“It’s absolutely crazy that students have to keep saying this, but putting more guns in our schools won’t make us safer. It’s just going to increase the risk of someone being shot,” said Cora Lynn Mundy, a member of the Students Demand Action National Advisory Board. “Reckless and dangerous legislation like this will only put students in harms way. Today’s actions by our lawmakers show a total disregard for the safety of Kentucky students.” 

“This is yet another example of how our lawmakers are prioritizing the gun lobby’s ‘guns everywhere’ agenda rather than the safety of our communities,” said Cathy Hobart, a volunteer with the Kentucky chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Guns are the number one killer of children and teens in Kentucky, and yet our lawmakers would rather put more armed people in our classrooms and hallways rather than implement real, evidence-based solutions to keep guns out of our schools. We will continue fighting against this bill in the House until our lawmakers finally listen to our demands to keep our children safe.” 

SB 2 is part of a dangerous trend among states with the weakest gun laws introducing and passing legislation to put more guns in schools. These “guardians” are merely “school resource officers” by a different name and with less training, which are already legal in Kentucky. Firearms are the leading cause of death for American children and teens, and arming teachers and people on campus only increases the chances of students experiencing gun violence at school. 

While the “guardian” program introduced in this bill would not be increasing the presence of active duty police in Kentucky schools, the effect of having armed retired officers and former military members would be the same. Lawmakers should listen to the people who actually know how to create a safe and successful learning environment for students, such as encouraging parents to securely store firearms and passing common-sense gun safety laws. 

In an average year, 823 people die by guns in Kentucky and another 1,531 are wounded. Gun violence costs Kentucky $9.6 billion each year, of which $183.4 million is paid by taxpayers. More information on gun violence in Kentucky is available here.

To speak to a local volunteer with Moms Demand Action, a volunteer with Students Demand Action, or a policy expert, please don’t hesitate to reach out.