Congressman Dan Goldman Urges NYC Dept. of Education to Inform Families of Safe Firearm Storage
New Resources from Biden Administration Distributed to NYC DOE on How Families Can Safely Store Firearms
Over Half of All Gun Owners Do Not Follow Recommended Storage Practices, Safe Gun Storage Lowers Chances of Kids Being Shot Unintentionally by 85%
Read the Letter Here
New York, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) last week sent a letter to the New York City Department of Education’s (NYC DOE) Chancellor David Banks, asking if he is aware of new federal resources made available regarding the safe storage of firearms. The letter inquires whether the Department is aware of the resources available to schools and if the NYC DOE has taken steps to share safe storage firearm information with school administrators, families, or community-based organizations to enhance understanding of safe gun storage.
“As you know, earlier this year the Biden Administration announced new actions to promote the safe storage of firearms in an effort to combat gun violence. A key part of this comprehensive approach involved the U.S. Department of Education issuing new resources for school officials to share with parents and families on the importance of safe firearm storage to ensure that weapons do not end up in the wrong hands or accessed by children,” Congressman Dan Goldman wrote. “However, school principals and administrators are not required to share this information which means that without further encouragement, this potentially lifesaving information will not reach parents, families, guardians, and caregivers.”
Storing firearms at home without proper security measures when children are present has been shown to lead to fatal consequences. Every year, nearly 350 children under the age of 18 unintentionally shoot themselves or others with a firearm. 70 percent of such incidents take place within the child’s home. The majority of children who commit suicide also do so with a family member’s gun. Additionally, more than three-quarters of school shooters acquire their firearm from the home of a parent or close relative.
In New York this year alone, there have been four incidents involving an accidental gun discharge, including the death of a 14-year-old boy in Brooklyn earlier this week.
“When guns are securely stored, the risk of children and teenagers accessing them and potentially causing harm to themselves or others - whether intentionally or accidentally - significantly decreases,” Congressman Dan Goldman continued. “Proper storage is crucial for preventing tragedy and it is vital that our schools play a role in keeping our kids safe from the dangers of gun violence.”
Specifically, Congressman Goldman has requested answers to the following questions from New York City’s Department of Education:
Has the NYC DOE partnered with community-based organizations to help improve understanding of safe firearm storage and broader gun violence prevention efforts?
Is safe firearm storage currently a part of NYC DOE’s overall school safety and emergency preparedness efforts?
Is the NYC DOE aware of the resources recently made available by the U.S. Department of Education regarding secure firearm storage? If so, what steps has the NYC DOE taken to ensure this information is shared with parents and families? How many school administrators and principals have communicated and shared this important information? How many families have been contacted?
If not, will the NYC DOE commit to formalizing a communication strategy to ensure school administrators send this information to families? If so, please provide a detailed update on the implementation of this strategy and its progress.
Congressman Goldman has made gun violence a central issue of his first term, fighting nationally and locally to limit firearm availability.
In the first month of his term, Goldman cosponsored 'Ethan’s Law', which would require gun owners to secure their firearms in a “secure gun storage or safety device” if a minor is likely to gain access to the firearm without permission and incentivizes states to pass and enforce state level safe gun storage laws.
In March of this year, Goldman sent a letter to New York City Mayor Eric Adams asking for information on the City’s partnerships with private gun buyback companies after recent media reports revealed that some of these companies actually only remove and destroy the parts that hold serial numbers and selling the weapon’s remaining parts, fueling a secondary market of ghost guns nationwide.
Goldman hosted teachers and students in DC in April at a Congressional Dads Caucus General Member Meeting to share how their experiences with gun violence have impacted their lives.
Goldman also hosted a series of gun violence events in NYC to commemorate Gun Violence Survivors week, including a roundtable with gun violence survivors, a roundtable with community-based stakeholders and organizations, and a virtual fireside chat with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg regarding federal and local strategy to combat gun violence.
Read the full letter here or below:
Dear Chancellor Banks:
I write to urge you to ensure that the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) takes active steps to share information regarding safe firearm storage with as many parents and families in our communities as possible.
As you know, earlier this year the Biden Administration announced new actions to promote the safe storage of firearms in an effort to combat gun violence. A key part of this comprehensive approach involved the U.S. Department of Education issuing new resources for school officials to share with parents and families on the importance of safe firearm storage to ensure that weapons do not end up in the wrong hands or accessed by children. However, school principals and administrators are not required to share this information which means that without further encouragement, this potentially lifesaving information will not reach parents, families, guardians, and caregivers.
Recent data suggests that approximately 4.6 million children live in homes with unsecured firearms, posing clear risks to their safety, and as many as 350 children under the age of 18 unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else every year. When guns are securely stored, the risk of children and teenagers accessing them and potentially causing harm to themselves or others - whether intentionally or accidentally - significantly decreases. Proper storage is crucial for preventing tragedy and it is vital that our schools play a role in keeping our kids safe from the dangers of gun violence. Given the importance of understanding the benefits of secure firearm storage, I respectfully ask information on the following:
Has the NYC DOE partnered with community-based organizations to help improve understanding of safe firearm storage and broader gun violence prevention efforts?
Is safe firearm storage currently a part of NYC DOE’s overall school safety and emergency preparedness efforts?
Is the NYC DOE aware of the resources recently made available by the U.S. Department of Education regarding secure firearm storage? If so, what steps has the NYC DOE taken to ensure this information is shared with parents and families? How many school administrators and principals have communicated and shared this important information? How many families have been contacted?
If not, will the NYC DOE commit to formalizing a communication strategy to ensure school administrators send this information to families? If so, please provide a detailed update on the implementation of this strategy and its progress.
Thank you for your partnership and I look forward to hearing from you on this issue.
###