NAESP Statement in Response to Shooting at Stoneman High School
The National Association of Elementary School Principals calls for strengthened policies and increased funding for school safety and student support services.
Alexandria, Va.—Feb. 20, 2018—The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) joins the nation in mourning the tragic loss of life resulting from the school shooting at Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida.
Since the 2012 shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, NAESP has worked to provide lawmakers with research-based, nonpartisan recommendations on school safety, such as an interdisciplinary, multitiered framework to improve school safety outlined in A Framework for Safe and Successful Schools.
“When children go to school, they should have access to optimal conditions for learning, free from violence and terror” said NAESP’s executive director, Dr. L. Earl Franks, CAE. “Parents deserve to send their children to school with the confidence that they will come home unharmed.”
Furthermore, as the nation grapples with effective conditions to ensure student safety, NAESP will continue to urge Congress to provide funding for programs that support schools in addressing mental health issues.
About NAESP
Principals are the primary catalysts for creating lasting foundations for learning. Since 1921, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) has been the leading advocate for elementary and middle-level principals in the United States and worldwide. NAESP advances the profession by developing policy, advancing advocacy, and providing professional development and resources for instructional leadership, including specialized support and mentoring for early career principals. Key focus areas include pre-K-3 education, school safety, technology and digital learning, and effective educator evaluation. For more information about NAESP, please visit www.naesp.org. NAESP administers the National Principals Resource Center, the American Student Council Association, and the President’s Education Awards & American Citizenship Awards Programs.
