Supreme Court rolls back gun safety laws as school and community shootings reach all-time high

NEA President: ‘How many more dead and wounded children and educators will it take for those in power to finally prioritize our safety over the demands of the gun lobby?’ 

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court today issued a 6-3 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, a case brought by New York’s NRA affiliate. The court struck down a New York law, which is similar to the laws in several other states, that required gun owners to show proper cause to carry concealed handguns in public. The ruling, the biggest gun rights decision in over a decade, once again chips away at common-sense gun safety measures at a time when mass shootings in the United States are at an all-time high.  

The following statement about today’s ruling can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle:  

“As our nation continues to mourn the deaths of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and the hate-fueled massacre in Buffalo, New York, it is unconscionable and utterly disgraceful that a radicalized Supreme Court has decided, once again, to erode further what few common-sense gun safety measures we do have in place.  

“This decision will put students, educators, and all Americans at greater risk of gun violence. Now, more than ever, our elected representatives in Congress must act to pass laws that save lives and keep our schools safe. How many more dead and wounded children and educators will it take for those in power to finally prioritize our safety over the demands of the gun lobby? This decision will not deter us. The 3 million members of the NEA, along with students and parents, are not going to back down until we take serious action to end gun violence in communities across this nation.” 

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.