As a college student and teacher, I feel our schools, colleges, and universities should be places that should provide safety and focus for learning and growth. Every time I step onto my college campus, there is the lingering fear of potential threats that overshadow the enthusiasm for education. This feeling is further amplified by the continuous participation in traumatic lockdown drills which highlight the grim possibilities we face in our educational institutions. These drills are more than just routines; they are stark reminders of the vulnerabilities we encounter. Teachers from preschool to professors are having to mentally prepare to fight, flight, or run and protect sometimes 30 plus students. Now when the fire alarm goes off we have to wait to assess if it is real or a shooter trying to get everyone outside their classrooms. Most of us love our students and would protect them at all costs but someone has to ask the question, why does all this rest on the shoulders of educators? Yes we live in an evil world but even as I go to college I see the hallways are not locked, anyone could walk in at any time and no one would raise an eyebrow. My professors are supposed to lock the door once roll is taken but they don’t. Lockdowns, shelter in place, and drills are crucial but they should be a last resort. There are very simple precautions that schools can put in place which could save hundreds of lives.

Despite the significant funds colleges and universities receive, either through student debt or government funding for revamping departments, the allocation towards ensuring student and teacher safety is grossly neglected. Colleges and universities should prioritize the installation of metal detectors at entrances, employ full-time trained security personnel, including police, to monitor student campus safety effectively. This includes monitoring  security cameras and drones, ensuring doors and gates are locked, providing students with keys, maintaining shutters for all windows, doors that lock from the inside, and shields in every classroom. One officer cannot be expected to protect thousands of high school or college students plus staff. 

Such measures aren't merely luxury features—they are essential components of a safe educational environment. Students invest heavily in their education, often going into debt to gain valuable knowledge, but no investment should ever come at the cost of personal safety. California educational institutions have the resources; they need to redirect their priorities to safeguard their most valued assets—their students and their educators. With the trend in school shootings rising every year we cannot expect different results in the future without changing our approach and taking these threats head on. We must adjust our expectations to protect what matters most to us, our children, our youth, our educators, and our learning. The very recent tragedy at the Ivy League, Brown University yet again stresses to us the need for more cameras and routine checks. 

Furthermore, teachers should not have to bear the anxiety of thinking about school shootings simply because of negligence in implementing basic security protocols. Every student deserves to learn in an environment free of fear, and every educator deserves a workplace where their safety is not going to be compromised.

I urge every concerned student, teacher, parent, and community member to sign this petition. Let's push for the enactment of rigorous safety standards across all Californian universities, colleges, and public education schools. By uniting our voices, we can compel educational authorities and our representatives to commit to tangible actions that fortify our learning environments and bring peace of mind to those who dwell within them. Sign this petition today and advocate for the secure educational spaces we all deserve.