What You Can Do

Work to Make Your School Safe:

Use Your Voice:

• Urge your kids to come forward if they know of someone who is carrying a gun or plans violence with a weapon. The Secret Service reports that in 75 percent of school shootings, the attackers told other students of their plans beforehand. A new campaign, "SPEAK UP," created by PAX: Real Solutions to Gun Violence, suggests that kids should not ignore their knowledge or take things into their own hands, but instead should inform a trusted adult or contact the anonymous toll free hotline 866-SPEAK-UP (visit www.speakup.com for more information).
• Take an active role in your child's school, volunteer in the classroom or with after-school activities. Work with your school's PTA or PTO.
• Request and support high quality student education programs concerning tolerance, conflict resolution, drug avoidance, gang resistance, violence prevention and media literacy as part of your school's curriculum.
• Encourage the use of peer programs for students, such as counseling, tutoring, mediation, and teen court, to give them the opportunity to help and empathize with others and to handle disputes peaceably.
• Ask questions and make sure your school district's codes, safety policies, and crisis management plans adequately address the prevention and/or occurrence of gun violence.

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Get Involved in Your Community:

Talking openly about preventing gun violence will only strengthen and protect your community

Gun violence affects the entire community. Communities can greatly benefit from the attention and support of parents working together in cooperation with other community groups, leaders and professionals. Ways you can get involved include:

• Educate yourself further about gun violence prevention and related issues such as positive parenting skills, avoidance of drugs and gang involvement, media literacy and violence-free entertainment. The internet hosts various sites and many good publications exist. Ask your local library to carry and feature materials on these topics.
• Get involved with your local Million Mom March Chapter.
• Discuss ideas on preventing gun violence with your friends, neighbors, religious groups, community clubs and work associates.
• Encourage your doctors, teachers, police, clergy and local news media to join in education efforts to prevent gun violence.
• Assist your police and volunteer in anti-crime efforts. Mobilize your community to reject gun dealers, drug dealing and gangs. Organize a gun buy-back program.
• Support your local youth centers, tutoring and mentoring programs and after-school/weekend/summer activities.
• Organize or take part in TV tune-out week, a violent toy turn-in drive or an anti-violence art exhibit with your religious group or community club to increase awareness about violence as well as positive alternatives.
• Participate in working to prevent gun violence by joining your local or state gun violence prevention group.
• Voice your opinions on preventing gun violence to your lawmakers and local newspaper editors.
• Stay informed of existing or proposed laws that may impact gun violence. Elect public officials who share your views. Support sensible gun laws that protect kids and support proper enforcement of these laws.

For more information here is a Parents Guide from the Million Mom March

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