Gun Violence is Preventable

Prepare, participate, and partner with us to help reduce gun violence.

Seattle Public Schools is partnering with the Seattle Mayor’s Office, Seattle Police Department, King County Prosecutor’s Office, and Seattle Parks and Recreation to reduce gun violence and keep our community safe.

Prepare

Get informed about public safety efforts in our community and pledge to make our city a safer place. Here are a few ways you can help keep guns out of the wrong hands.

If you have firearms in your home, make sure they are stored properly and locked away. Having a gun in the home significantly increases the risk of homicide, suicide, and unintentional shootings, which is why safely storing firearms is so important. Learn more about King County’s program, Lock It Up: Promoting the safe storage of firearms.

Learn more about the violence prevention resources in our community on the Regional Gun Violence Community-Based Resource Guide.

Partner

Support youth well-being and support children and teens having a safe place to go for help when they’re upset or in trouble

• Help young people identify the adults in their life they can talk to, such as family members, educators and school staff, religious leaders, and family friends. Ensure they have plenty of options!
• Assist young people in accessing mental health support when they need it
• Check in regularly with your student’s teachers and/or school support staff. Keep an eye on their grades and attendance. Unexcused absences and grade changes can be signs that a student needs more support.
• Help teens stay engaged and build their skills through programs like the Youth Engaged in Service Program (YES) at the Garfield Teen Life Center, SPS Skills Center summer courses, and the Learn and Earn program through the Seattle Youth Employment program.

Follow School Safety Practices

• Follow school safety practices: sign in with the main office when you visit your student’s school and wear your visitor’s badge
• Ensure that exterior doors close behind you when you enter and leave
• Let us know if you have a safety concern. You can reach out to school principals and staff, the SPS safe schools hotline 206-252-0510, or submit an anonymous tip via our mobile app.

SPS and Community Resources for Families

It takes a community to keep our students, staff, and families safe. Thank you to our partners and community members who are working to end gun violence!

• SPS Safety and Security Personal Safety for Children and Families
• 24-hour Crisis Line
• School Violence Prevention: Tips for Parents and Educators

Let’s work together to make our communities safer and prevent gun violence.

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Firearms Safe Storage and Preventing Gun Violence

The safety of our students, families, and communities is a priority. 

Owning a gun is a personal decision, but secure storage is a public safety issue. Kids and unsecured guns are a potentially lethal combination. Each year in the U.S., nearly 350 children ages 17 and under gain access to a firearm and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else.  Every year, nearly 700 children, 17 and under, die by suicide with a gun.    

Safely Store Firearms

Store firearms locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition. Read more about safe storage of firearms on the Seattle & King County Public Health webpage.

Talk with Family and Friends about Safe Storage

We encourage you to ask about the presence of unsecured guns in any home your child visits. Assume children and teens can find guns.

• Tips for visiting friends and families from Be SMART
• Debunking Gun Myths 
• Asking About Secure Gun Storage

Know the Warning Signs of Suicide

Unlocked firearms are a risk to people struggling with suicidal thoughts. Learn more and find resources for suicide prevention and intervention at SPS.