IFC CALLS ON DES MOINES, STATE EDUCATION LEADERS TO MAKE SCHOOLS SAFER
 
(DES MOINES, Iowa) — In the wake of Monday’s senseless act of targeted violence at the Starts Right Here outreach center, the Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC) is again calling on Des Moines and state education officials to begin implementing proven strategies to address an active attack.  
 
“Our prayers are with the families of all those who are grieving and have been hurt by this act of pure evil,” said IFC President Dave Funk. “Current Iowa Code is already on the books that’s designed to empower our education officials in Des Moines and throughout the state to take steps to protect our children at school from an active threat. We call on them to do so now.”
 
Iowa Code 724.4B allows school districts to regulate armed personnel on school grounds and IFC has proudly offered the organization’s support and expertise to school districts which have expressed interest in implementing strong security measures. This legislative session, IFC is also working with lawmakers to usher in new reforms that would allow for more self-defense tools on school grounds. 
 
In December, IFC held a free seminar for educators, members of law enforcement and the public in Des Moines to help Iowans who oversee soft targets to develop their own strategies to improve security measures.  
 
Last year, the Spirit Lake and Cherokee School Boards each voted unanimously to implement programs that allow for specially selected and trained staff members to carry self-defense tools inside their respective schools. 
 
“It’s long overdue for Iowa’s education officials to put their personal politics aside and allow those who love their students enough to protect them to do so,” said Funk. “When seconds count, our children deserve to have well-trained personnel on campus who are willing and able to take out a threat immediately. It is unconscionable that banks, elected officials and government owned properties have better security measures in place than our schools, our children are worth protecting.”   
 
The Iowa Firearms Coalition, an affiliate of both the NRA and the NSSF, is a 501(c4) nonprofit and is Iowa’s only effective pro-Second Amendment rights organization.