Georgia has made strides in preventing school violence

A year ago, Georgia was changed forever by the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School. Four precious lives were taken, and countless others were left to grapple with unimaginable pain. But instead of being defined by that sorrow, our state has chosen a different path — a mission to turn tragedy into transformation.

As we remember the victims, we stand with every parent, student, school, district and out-of-school-time organization in our state in taking action to protect the children of Georgia.

Young people have the right to feel safe in school, and you deserve to know all that’s being done.

What’s being done to protect our kids?

In the aftermath of the Apalachee High School shooting, the FBI’s investigation revealed that warning signs were present dating back as far as a year before the attack. Had these warning signs been recognized and taken seriously, lives could have been saved. But when youth and adults don’t know what to look out for, it can be easy to miss or dismiss these signals.

Warning signs are often present before an act of violence or self-harm, which is why they’re so important for everyone to recognize. They can include behaviors like making threats, bragging about access to weapons, chronic social isolation, obsessions with other school shootings and more. When everyone — both youth and adults — knows how to spot these signals and seek help when needed, interventions can be made to stop a tragedy.

Greater awareness about the warning signs will be a key area of focus in Georgia schools moving forward. About six months after the tragedy, legislators from both sides of the aisle came together to pass a comprehensive set of new school safety laws under the Education; Safety, Health, and Well-Being of Students and School Communities bill (House Bill 268), part of which is modeled after Sandy Hook Promise’s SAVE Students Act. These new laws are not just words on a page — these words will protect kids and teens in Georgia schools.

Under the new law, by July 2026, Georgia schools will now be engaged in:

• Training students: All Georgia students in grades 6-12 will now be required to participate in one hour of evidence-based suicide prevention training and one hour of youth violence prevention training each school year, minimum. Examples of the types of training that students may receive could include lessons that raise awareness about the warning signs of violence and self-harm, activities that improve relationships between youth and caring adults, and much more. Students will become empowered to speak up if they recognize a warning sign among their peers.
• A lifeline for those in crisis: Schools will also be required to implement an anonymous reporting system, which can serve as a vital lifeline. It gives students and others a safe, confidential way to report concerning behavior, whether it’s related to self-harm, a potential threat or someone in crisis.

Beyond the classroom

Protecting children must expand beyond the classroom walls. Community organizations have been meeting youth where they are — both inside and outside of school — and have been working to address complex, often hyperlocal circumstances as they pertain to violence.

Crystal Garrant. (Courtesy of Sommer Nicole)

Frank Brown. (Courtesy of Genevieve Boyle)

Protecting children must expand beyond the classroom walls. Community organizations have been meeting youth where they are — both inside and outside of school — and have been working to address complex, often hyperlocal circumstances as they pertain to violence.

Taking action together

All of these developments are creating positive changes throughout our state, but there is still more work to be done. While nothing can ever bring back the lives that were taken in last year’s tragedy, we can honor their memory by taking a stand against violence and refusing to accept school shootings as anything other than preventable.