On Dec. 14, 2012, a gunman who shot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., killed 20 children and six of their teachers and school leaders. It was the deadliest K-12 school shooting in U.S. history. Since the day of the shootings, the tragedy has had a far-reaching effect on schools. In ongoing coverage, Education Week captured the grief and reflection felt in Newtown and nationwide and reported on the increased emphasis on school safety. Read our complete coverage:
Lynn McDonnell, left, mother of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Grace McDonnell; Jimmy Greene and Nelba Marquez-Greene, center, parents of victim Ana Marquez-Greene; and Jennifer Hensel, right, mother of victim Avielle Richman, stand with other victims' families as they address the media on Dec. 9, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. The parents announced the formation of a website "intended to serve as a singular place of sharing, communication, and contact with the families of those who lost their lives that day."
While districts have beefed up safety measures and added armed security, only a small fraction of the laws proposed in the immediate aftermath of the school shootings have been enacted.
The months following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School were filled with emotional responses from victims' family members and influential educational and political leaders. See a sampling of what they've had to say.
An Education Week analysis of nearly 400 bills finds state lawmakers have proposed a host of measures, including arming teachers, adding police officers, and improving school buildings.
Jillian Soto, left, whose sister Vicki Soto was one of the teachers killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shootings, wipes away tears during a press conference held last week by Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat. Several families of Newtown victims came to Washington last week to press the Senate to begin debate on a gun-control proposal.
In a fictitious school policy memo, Thomas P. Johnson tackles the logistics of arming teachers.
Thomas P. Johnson, April 12, 2013
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2 min read
Participants rush out of the cafeteria after hearing simulated gunshots during a lockdown exercise at Milford High School in Milford, Mass., earlier this month. More than 500 teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers and school custodians participated in the training program that taught alternatives to staying in lockdown during a school shooting.
A coalition of organizations unveiled its plan to head off school violence through positive behavioral approaches and better training and support for students and staff.
March 28, 2013
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6 min read
Denver police Officer Everett Moore, a school resource officer at East High School, patrols the hallways, school grounds, and trouble spots near the property. The police and the district have reached an agreement that better defines the role of the police in schools.
Smoke and shell casings fly as teachers and staff from Clifton Independent School District in Clifton, Texas, fire handguns at a range just outside of Clifton during training on what they need to know to get a license to carry a concealed gun.
As the once-unthinkable idea of arming teachers gains traction, some districts offer insights on when employees bring weapons to school.
Nirvi Shah, February 15, 2013
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11 min read
Retired state trooper Les Strawbridge patrols the halls at Butler Intermediate High School in Butler, Pa. The district accelerated efforts to arm school resource officers within days of the Newtown, Conn., school shootings.
As President Obama unveils an anti-violence plan, districts are taking dramatic steps—and even arming staff—to boost safety.
Nirvi Shah, January 22, 2013
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9 min read
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan attends a wake for Dawn Hochsprung, the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Conn. She was one of the six staff members shot to death at the school last month.
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