May 2026 Update!
The Lifesaving Act of Secure Firearm Storage: Essential Findings from a New Journal of American Medicine Study
The Lifesaving Act of Secure Firearm Storage: Essential Findings from a New Journal of American Medicine Study
This JAMA study underscores the dangers of unlocked, loaded firearms in the home that increase the risk of unintentional injuries, suicide, mass shootings, and school shootings.
An estimated 7 million children in the U.S. live in households where at least one firearm is unlocked and loaded.
1 in 5 gun-owning households have firearms easily accessible to children.
An estimated 32 million children in the United States live in homes with firearms.
Only about 35% of gun-owning parents surveyed reported storing their weapons in the safest possible way—both unloaded and locked up.
The number of kids in the U.S. who live in households with at least one firearm unlocked and loaded is approximately 50% higher than previously understood.
Guns are the leading cause of death for children in America. This is not a partisan issue—it’s a public health crisis. Teachers Unify is committed to spreading the lifesaving message of secure storage, especially through school messaging.
SUPPORT TEACHERS UNIFY
Join Our Teachers Unify Community Meeting on June 24th at 7pm EST on Zoom
Each community meeting seeks to support:
Community-building
Educator agency and empowerment
Tangible, meaningful action
June’s guest is Denise Nieto Hernandez, educator and leader of over 20+ years across K–12, higher education, and charter schools, who has a deep commitment to multilingual learners, literacy, and instructional leadership.
“Students deserve to feel safe, teachers deserve to do their jobs without fear, and parents deserve the peace of mind that their children are protected at school. I want to be part of a community that speaks up, supports one another, and pushes for real change, because safety and mental health have to be a priority, not an afterthought.” – Denise Nieto Hernandez
We encourage you to invite others to join as we seek to build and sustain local and national communities of educators and allies.
When we come together in community, we are powerful!
Register and share this link!
Liesl & Sydney
Team Teachers Unify
community@teachersunify.org
Voices from the Field: An Update and Some Tips from Teachers Unify Ithaca
Retired teacher organizers from Teachers Unify Ithaca joined our April Community Meeting. They shared their year-long journey to get their local school district to commit to sending out secure firearm storage. Update: Mission Accomplished! First communication is set to go out before school closes for the summer.
Listen to these inspiring activists:
Reach out to us at info@teachersunify.org if you’re interested in working on this in your community.
Mary Engelbreit & Teachers Unify Collaboration: Join our Honor Roll Giving Club for a Limited Edition Gift
Exclusive Mary Engelbreit<>Teachers Unify Merch—extended through June!
Help us sustain our vital Crisis Intervention and Support Team by joining the Honor Roll Giving Club this May. Your recurring gift ensures we can be there for teachers and staff in moments of crisis and in the aftermath.
Claim your exclusive union and USA made thank-you gifts before May ends:
$25+/mo = Limited-edition Teachers Unify T-shirt (art by Mary Engelbreit!)
Under $25/mo = 2 x 3” sticker
Lock in your monthly gift now!
Teachers Unify in the Press!
Florida: Protect campuses with strong gun safety legislation | Opinion—Op-Ed by Teachers Unify Co-Founder, Podcast host, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS survivor teacher, Sarah Lerner
Terry Moran: Real Patriotism—Interview with Teachers Unify Co-Founder, Executive Director, and survivor-teacher of the Sandy Hook School tragedy, Abbey Clements
New and Timely Teachers Unify Podcasts
Stories of Loss: Veronica Mata—This episode features Veronica Mata, an educator and mother of Tess, whose life was tragically taken at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022. She talks about Tess, her advocacy work with Lives Robbed, and Gloves for Tess, the non-profit her family started.
Survivor Stories: Flo Rice—This episode features Flo Rice, a former substitute teacher, injured survivor from the shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas on May 18, 2018, and founding member of Teacher Unify’s Crisis Intervention and Support Team. She talks about her experience from that day, how she’s used her story to bring about change, the different connections she’s made, and much more.
Our hearts are with these incredible women, especially this month, and all who’ve been personally impacted by gun violence.
If you or your school community have been impacted by the fear or experience of gun violence, please reach out to our Teachers Unify Crisis Intervention and Support Team at response@teachersunify.org or 203-296-3689, and take a look at our Crisis Team One-Pager. You are not alone.
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