At a special meeting Friday morning, the Falls Church School Board unanimously approved a resolution calling on the Virginia General Assembly “to prioritize the protection of students and local government employees by passing legislation that more effectively regulates access to firearms in the interest of public safety.” The resolution takes note of the 170 campus shootings at primary and secondary schools since the Columbine massacre in 1999, resulting in the loss of hundreds of student and school employee lives from “Columbine, to Virginia Tech, to Sandy Hook, to Parkland.”

“(While) the responsibility for preventing gun violence incidents cannot be relegated to school districts and local government alone, localities should be given the tools to enact firearm policies that fit the needs of their communities,” the resolution states. Incorporated in its resolution, is support for Falls Church City Council’s recent action requesting state legislation to allow local governments to approve ordinances “prohibiting the possession of firearms and other dangerous weapons in any City owned or publicly leased property or facility.”

The board reiterated its commitment to prioritize school safety, taking additional measures to protect students and staff. These include an ongoing building security audit, implementation of the Superintendent’s proposed remediations, and an examination of what more FCCPS “can do together with its students and staff, the community, Falls Church City Public Safety staff, and the City Council to enhance school safety and preparedness, as well as to identify needs and required resources, including for both facility improvement and social/emotional support in a nation confronted with pervasive gun violence.”