The U.S. just mourned the one-year anniversary of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were killed. Despite multiple armed guards on campus at the time of the shooting, and 376 law enforcement officers eventually descending upon the school, no one was able to stop the gunman. How did the state of Texas respond to public cries demanding school safety? With House Bill 3, currently awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature, which would require an armed officer on every school campus.
Our right to raise our child in a safe and supportive community has been stolen from us. More guns on campuses won’t make people safer, researchers say. These campus-carry laws highlight our elected officials’ inability to keep children safe—which is a core tenant of reproductive justice. By centering a reproductive justice approach, it is possible to establish safe and supportive communities to raise children with proactive systems and initiatives.