The U.S. Department of Education (EDU) has announced the allocation of approximately $6.4 million to seven school districts across the country, as part of an initiative led by Vice President Kamala Harris aimed at mitigating community violence.
"Gun violence is the number one cause of death for children in America. Today, I announced new funding to protect and support our children as we work to implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun safety legislation passed in nearly 30 years," said Vice President Harris. She further stated, "This law is also the largest investment in history to support student mental health, including the trauma of gun violence. Today, I announced an additional $285 million as we work to hire and train over 14,000 mental health professionals in schools across our nation."
Harris also highlighted that "The Biden-Harris Administration is investing in community violence intervention efforts to help schools and communities tackle the epidemic of gun violence." She went on to announce that "more than $6 million through the Department of Education will be used to do this critical work." The Vice President concluded her remarks by affirming that "Every child in America should have the right to live free from the horror of gun violence. @POTUS and I will continue to do everything in our power to protect our children as we call on Congress to pass additional common sense gun safety laws."
In a recent EDU news release, it was disclosed that several school districts would receive funding: Savannah-Chatham County Public School System in Georgia will receive $1 million; Osage County Interlocal Cooperative will receive $759,624; Tahlequah Public Schools in Oklahoma will get $954,196; Buffalo City School District in New York and Educational Service District 105 in Washington will each be given $1 million; Mastery Charter Schools in Pennsylvania will receive $698,584; and Norfolk Public Schools in Virginia will receive $949,264.
EDU Secretary Miguel Cardona expressed his support for the initiative, stating, "Today’s announcement of another $6.4 million in Project Prevent funding complements the Biden-Harris Administration’s unprecedented $2 billion investment secured through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to transform school-based mental health and create safer and more positive school climates." He added, "These investments mean that schools and communities will have more resources for the interventions that help keep students safe and healthy. The fact is, we cannot recover academically and raise the bar for education in this country unless we meet the needs of the whole child, and that starts with creating safe, welcoming schools where teaching and learning can truly thrive."
