Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera Joins Advocates to Promote School Safety Across Commonwealth

| September 13, 2017

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera yesterday joined CeaseFirePA, Education Voters of Pennsylvania, and the Education Law Center to introduce new resources to help schools and communities promote school safety. During the press conference, CeaseFirePA presented videos that educators, administrators, and community members can use to prevent gun violence.

“As Secretary of Education, it is my mission to ensure that students at schools across the commonwealth are safe, supported, and free to learn, grow, and achieve while they’re at school,” Rivera said. “We know that students cannot perform their best if they’re not healthy, if they’re not engaged, and if they’re worried or stressed. It is important for educators to use all the tools at their disposal to create secure learning environments in which students can thrive, and I appreciate the additional resources being presented today.”

Rivera noted that the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office for Safe Schools provides educators with important tools to address violence, incidents of bias and discrimination, bullying, suicide prevention, along with other supports and resources. The Department also offers confidential online climate surveys that schools can use to inform decision-making and planning around student health and safety.

CeaseFirePA is a statewide organization that works with community leaders and government organizations to take a stand against gun violence through public outreach and educational efforts.

Education Voters Pennsylvania, an affiliate of The Schott Foundation for Public Education, is a non-profit, non-partisan organization established in 2007 to support public education.

The Education Law Center’s mission is to ensure access to a quality public education for all children in Pennsylvania, and advocates on behalf of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable students.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs, or to read Rivera’s budget testimony, visit the Department of Education’s website at www.education.pa.gov or follow PDE on FacebookTwitter, or Pinterest.


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Category: Local News, News, State News