American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Calls for Secure Firearm Storage to Protect School Communities
We’re thrilled to announce a historic moment for our movement. At AFT’s national convention, a groundbreaking resolution we authored was adopted following a comprehensive union process and unanimous support from nearly 3,000 voting delegates.
Schools should be educating parents about secure firearm storage. Just as we have changed public health outcomes around smoking, seatbelts, and car seats, we can shift the culture from easy access to responsible security. That’s what this resolution aims to accomplish. We believe that it won’t be politicians who save us, and it won’t be another law alone—it will be teachers and schools doing what they do best: educating.
This moment represents exactly why we co-founded Teachers Unify: to serve as the bridge connecting the education and gun violence prevention spaces, and to empower educators and allies to lead solutions.
Now the work begins to ramp up—thank you for joining us!
Read the full resolution here!
Assault Weapons Bans Under Threat: The Supreme Court’s Upcoming Case
The Supreme Court announced that it will hear appeals challenging bans on the AR-15 and similar semiautomatic firearms in Connecticut and the Chicago area in October. Similar laws exist in about a dozen states including New York, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. A federal Assault Weapons Ban was in effect for 10 years and expired.
This Court, that has expanded gun rights, will rule if state bans are constitutional or if they violate the Second Amendment.
In a new Everytown Research & Policy Report, data clearly shows that regulations can save lives by reducing the risk of mass shootings and firearm violence. A 2024 study found continuing the federal assault weapons ban could have prevented as many as 38 public mass shootings.
If the Supreme Court opens the door to striking down more state bans, we fear what the result will be—more shootings. Teachers Unify is mobilizing educators, speaking out, and fighting to protect these lifesaving bans.
Our July Teachers Unify Community Monthly Meeting!
This month’s guests were Robin Fox and Kristin Song, co-creators of Trust Talk: Teen to Teen. Kristin tragically lost her son Ethan to an unsecured firearm in January 2018. Since then, she has been a dedicated advocate for secure firearm storage laws, working to ensure that no other family endures a tragedy that could have been prevented. Robin Fox is an educator with more than 45 years of experience serving students in grades K–12 across public and private schools.
Trust Talk is a series of three lessons designed to give middle- and high-school students tools to make safe decisions in risky situations. Through these free lessons, young people learn how their brains shape their choices, how safety laws like secure gun storage protect lives, and how to stay calm, think clearly, and support friends in real-life situations. More information forthcoming about Trust Talk!
Each Community Meeting supports:
Community-building
Educator agency and empowerment
Tangible, meaningful action
Hope to see you for our next meeting on Wednesday, August 24
—Liesl Fressola & Sydney Chaffee, Teachers Unify Ambassadors
Research & Public Health Corner
A new review of 27 studies on school lockdown and active-threat drills raises an important question: How do we prepare students and staff for emergencies without causing unnecessary fear or anxiety?
Researchers found that schools use a wide variety of drill practices, ranging from simple announced drills to highly realistic simulations. While schools conduct these drills with the goal of improving safety, the research suggests that the psychological effects of drills are studied far more often than whether they actually improve preparedness.
The review also identified a significant gap: educators are often responsible for implementing drills, reassuring students, answering difficult questions, and supporting young people who may be frightened or retraumatized by the experience. Yet teacher experiences and well-being remain largely absent from the research.
As schools continue balancing preparedness and student well-being, researchers are calling for more trauma-informed approaches, greater involvement of school mental health professionals, and more attention to how drills affect both students and staff. For many educators, the challenge isn’t simply conducting the drill—it’s helping students feel safe before, during, and after it ends.
Source: Mariani, M., Lomas, G., Berger, C., Butkus, S., & Yoon, H. (2026). Reconsidering Lockdown Drills in K–12 Schools: A Scoping Review of Empirical Evidence on Implementation Practices, Trauma-Informed Considerations, and Reported Outcomes. Social Sciences, 15(7), 422.
—Dawn Myers, Teachers Unify Research Ambassador
Podcast Update: 5K Milestone + Back-to-School Call to Action
We’re proud to share that our Teachers Unify Podcast has officially reached 5,000 downloads—a milestone driven by our commitment to uplifting the educators, survivors of gun violence, and advocates raising their voices, organizing for change, and claiming a seat at the table.
As back-to-school season kicks off, we’re developing a special episode to highlight your experiences, insights, and stories! If you’d like to contribute or share your perspective, reach out to our host, Teachers Unify co-founder Sarah Lerner, at podcast@teachersunify.org.
2026 Teachers Unify National Summit: We Need Your Help!
As we look toward our second annual Teachers Unify Summit this fall, we are focused on one massive goal: Scaling a National Movement for Prevention, Advocacy & Response in School Communities.
We need partners who believe in our movement for safe school communities. We are seeking mission-aligned organizations to sponsor this impactful event. Sponsorship offers visibility among a national network of educators and leaders, recognition across Summit materials, and alignment with a growing movement for safer schools. Whether you or an organization in your network is looking to make an impact, we want to connect. Join us in making this Summit possible—explore sponsorship opportunities and become a sponsor today. Reply to this email or reach out to our Director of Development, Lisa Cook: lisa@teachersunify.org.
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