Sign our petition to call for real change to prevent school shootings
We need your voice. Please add your name below to this petition which will be sent to state and school leaders in Oregon.
An Open Letter to School and State Leaders from Oregon Students
The recent tragic mass shooting in Georgia was an all-too-real reminder of the daily fear students face of school shootings. Being students ourselves, the fear of being shot or knowing someone who was shot near campus has a profound effect on us. It makes it difficult to focus, learn, and stay engaged in school by fostering an unsafe environment.
This fear is compounded by broader systemic issues, making the threat of gun violence an all-too-real part of our everyday lives, especially for students from Black and brown communities where schools and neighborhoods have faced ongoing under-investment. Last year (2023) alone, there were at least six shootings near schools in the broader Portland metro area; this doesn't include the ongoing, daily fear of a shooting, leaving students in a constant state of anxiety.
Recognizing the urgency of this issue, we call on teachers, administrators, district and state lawmakers to take our school safety seriously through FIVE policy changes:
1. Supporting students with trauma-informed practices during lockdowns and drills.
Students already live with a persistent fear of gun violence. Though we may mask it with humor or satire, it directly impacts our mental well-being and academic success. Lockdown drills—proven to be ineffective—only add to this trauma. When lockdowns do happen, many students report no one addresses it with them, and they are expected the next day to continue as if nothing happened. This lack of communication is all too common and must be addressed. Last year, multiple shootings near Portland school campuses led to chaos and confusion. Teachers exited buildings while parents entered.
Teachers and staff must prioritize student well-being by engaging in trauma-formed practices: talking to students following lockdowns (drills and real-life scenarios) and ensuring parents and caregivers are properly notified.
2. Increasing mental health support for students, including having more social workers that reflect all student backgrounds.
Fear of school shootings and the trauma and anxiety of living in a community where shootings happen in or around our schools harm our mental health. Research shows students are more likely to open up about mental health challenges to individuals who reflect their identities and backgrounds. For example, while PPS reports that over 45% of students are students of color, students report the vast majority of school counselors are white. While PPS doesn't track or share data on the racial demographics of counselors, only about 12% of teachers in the district are teachers of color. The lack of diversity among school counselors creates barriers to effective communication and support through a lack of shared experiences and understanding.
We can fix this: the current requirements for mental health professionals in Oregon school systems are too rigid, often leading to a shortage of counselors who can truly connect with students' lived experiences. By expanding the qualifications for mental health professionals and bringing more Social Workers and peer support specialists into schools, we can ensure students have access to mental health support.
3. Implementing place-based improvements to enhance school safety.
Research shows that place-based improvements—targeted interventions to enhance physical and social environments—are cost-efficient methods for reducing shootings around schools. Improving the physical conditions of neighborhoods, schools, and community spaces, such as better lighting, maintenance of public spaces, and community-building initiatives, not only betters the quality of life but also reduces violence. These measures address the root causes of violence by fostering a sense of safety and belonging, ultimately leading to a decrease in gun-related incidents.
School and city leaders should unite to prioritize improvements around schools, such as ensuring the abandoned auditorium across from McDaniel High School has an improvement plan.
4. Raising the age to purchase semi-automatic long guns in Oregon to 21.
Half of school shooters are current or former students of the same institution. According to Everytown, “Eighteen to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults 21 years and older.” While Oregon requires handgun purchasers to be 21 years or older, the age requirement for AR-15s and other semi-automatic long guns is just eighteen.
By raising the age to purchase these firearms, we reduce the risk of at-risk students obtaining weapons and bringing them into our communities.
5. Requiring schools to distribute information on secure storage.
According to the Secret Service, the vast majority of school shooters aquire their weapons from an unsecured location at their home or a the home of someone they know. Oregon already has a secure storage law. Oregon schools should distribute should information every year to families highlighting the importance of secure storage in preventing shootings.
Secure firearm storage saves lives and we need schools to ensure this information reaches families.