Schools and teachers have been asked to secure our children’s safety in impossible circumstances. We honor and appreciate efforts the school system has made for student safety. American teachers and school staff have died protecting our children from gunmen and have witnessed countless deaths due to prescription drug overdose. The growing epidemic of gun violence and prescription drug abuse is both terrifying and soul wrenching. We must acknowledge that most gun violence to American children and teens happens in their homes and communities, outside their schools. While the schools have and continue to make every effort, our community is equally accountable and must take all measures possible to prevent both intentional and accidental deaths associated with the use of unsecured prescription drugs and firearms within the home.

THE GOAL OF THIS PLEDGE is to reduce the likelihood any student in a participating school district - including those who may feel temporarily angry or suicidal - has access firearms or prescription drugs. In taking this collective responsibility, we as a community are upholding our part to keep our children from being victims of gun violence and prescription drug overdose at school, at home, and in the wider community.

THIS IS OUR PLEDGE. In acknowledgement of our shared community responsibility to keep any child from endangering themselves or other children, we the parents, guardians, and students pledge:

• To keep all firearms in our possession under lock and key and completely inaccessible to thieves and curious children. Guns will be locked and stored unloaded with ammunition locked and stored separately. This is in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatric recommendation.

• To ensure that children will not have unsupervised access to firearms in our home. Unlocking mechanisms will only be available to us, the parents and guardians. Any access to firearms in this household by children will be directly supervised by a trusted and responsible adult.

• To keep any prescription opioid, stimulant, and drug with high-abuse potential stored in a locked cabinet/container. Unlocking mechanisms will only be available to the parents and guardians of the children in our home.

(Download the Safety Pledge (PDF) for your family to read and sign now!)