WASHINGTON — The White House is trying to enlist school leaders to help spread the word about the importance of safely storing firearms to protect children.
The new initiative will be unveiled Thursday at an event for school principals with first lady Jill Biden and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. Also participating will be Stefanie Feldman, who heads the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
“We know that safe storage of firearms can save lives, especially by reducing firearm suicides and school shootings,” Feldman told reporters.
Guns are the leading cause of death for American children, and most weapons used in school shootings are taken from the shooter’s home.
“I know there are parents who wake up every day, take their kids to school, and as they see their kids walk through the door, there’s only a small portion of them who are concerned about gun violence during the school day. Veldman said.
As part of the announcement, the Department of Justice will release a guide to the safe storage of firearms, and the Department of Education will distribute materials to schools that can be shared with families.
The administration has relied on these types of initiatives, which involve limited executive action and promoting voluntary measures, at a time when stricter gun control proposals are just a starting point in Congress.
There is no federal law requiring gun owners to store their firearms, although the White House has encouraged such rules to be implemented at the state level.