U.S. Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) has filed legislation that would, if enacted into law, require that federal officials publish an annual report about school violence, with a heavy emphasis on racial and economic demographics.
To file the bill, McBath paired with U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23). They labeled the bill the School Shooting Safety and Preparedness Act.
“This bill also directs the Department of Education to consult with the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to produce comprehensive annual reports on school safety indicators, such as shooting and fatality statistics, shooter and victim demographics, shooter motivations, the types of firearms and ammunition acquired and used, and more,” according to a press release that McBath emailed this week.
“It would also track prevention efforts, such as building designs, and communication and response plans.”
The legislation would require that staff at the National Center for Education Statistics compile the following information:
• The number of school shootings that have taken place nationwide, including mass shootings and suicides
• The demographics of each school, including the number of economically-disadvantaged students, racial groups, ethnic groups, children with disabilities, and the number of students who have English proficiency status
• The personal characteristics of each victim in the shooting, including, at a minimum, the victim’s age, gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality
• The personal characteristics of the shooter, including, at a minimum, the shooter’s age, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, and relationship to the school
• The motivation of the shooter, including any real or perceived bias based on race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, or sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity)
• The number and type of firearms and ammunition that were used in each shooting, including how the firearm was obtained
McBath’s press release said that members of the gun control group Moms Demand Action endorse the legislation.
Republican and former state legislator Meagan Hanson in July announced her intentions to unseat McBath in next year’s elections. Georgia’s Sixth Congressional District consists of Atlanta’s northern suburbs, including portions of Cobb, Fulton, and DeKalb counties.
The Sixth Congressional District has proven competitive over the past few election cycles. In 2017, Republican Karen Handel narrowly defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff. In 2018, McBath edged out a victory of Handel to flip the seat to Democratic control. McBath once again defeated Handel in 2020.
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
