--- title: Betsy Devos Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings description: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the Federal Commission on School Safety will not study the role of guns in school shootings. canonical: https://time.com/5301750/betsy-devos-school-safety-commission-gun-violence/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-06-05T16:33:08.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T19:31:01.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Betsy DeVos Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings og:description: “That is not part of the commission’s charge, per se," DeVos said og:url: https://time.com/5301750/betsy-devos-school-safety-commission-gun-violence/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee630e25d64fd2d3/69893252656a3fc552bd49de/betsy-devos-school-safety-gun-violence.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4618 og:image:height: 2598 og:image:alt: Betsy DeVos og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Betsy DeVos Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings twitter:description: “That is not part of the commission’s charge, per se," DeVos said twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee630e25d64fd2d3/69893252656a3fc552bd49de/betsy-devos-school-safety-gun-violence.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 03:33 video:published: 2018-06-05 section: politics topics: school safety, gun violence, school shootings, AR-15 access, Federal Commission on School Safety, congressional hearing, mass shootings, PBIS, gun policy genre: interview, congressional hearing tones: confrontational, evasive, probing, urgent emotions: frustration (high), concern (high), grief (medium), defensiveness (medium) sentiment: negative audience: policy followers, parents and educators, gun policy advocates, general news readers people: Betsy DeVos organizations: Federal Commission on School Safety, U.S. Senate products: AR-15 content_suitability: violence [00:00-03:33]; death [00:00-01:07]; politics [00:00-03:33]; tragedy [00:02-00:14] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Trump's Education Secretary Says School Safety Commission Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ac647085-fdf7-4eef-a079-30660b6a8e79&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Trump's Education Secretary Says School Safety Commission Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings [Watch (HLS stream): Trump's Education Secretary Says School Safety Commission Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/sKVXkNrf.m3u8) (3:33)  _Published 2018-06-05. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the Federal Commission on School Safety —established in response to the deadly Parkland shooting — won’t look into the role of guns in school shootings_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary A congressional exchange in which a senator questions the chair of the president's School Safety Commission about whether the commission will examine firearms in school gun violence. The chair repeatedly says the commission's focus is school safety and proven approaches rather than the role of guns, and declines to give a yes-or-no answer. The senator contrasts American school shootings with other countries and asks about AR-15 access for 18-year-olds, which the chair calls a matter for debate. ## Key points - The senator says the country is averaging a school shooting each week, and notes another ten students and teachers were killed in Santa Fe, Texas. (00:10) - The chair says the commission was formed after a Florida school shooting that left 17 students and educators dead. (00:06) - Asked whether the commission will look at the role of firearms in school gun violence, the chair says that is not part of the commission's charge, per se. (00:56) - The chair says the commission is studying school safety and how to ensure students are safe at school. (01:10) - The senator states the gun of choice for mass shooters is an AR-15 and asks whether an 18-year-old should be able to buy one with hundreds of rounds of ammunition. (01:31) - The chair calls whether an 18-year-old should buy an AR-15 style weapon very much a matter for debate within the legislative body. (02:17) - The senator asks whether the commission is studying countries where students spend as much time on video games and social media but have far less gun violence, and the chair answers not per se. (03:15) - The chair describes a meeting in Maryland about an approach called PBIS that a district has used for 16 or 18 years. (02:50) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 01:07] Commission's scope on firearms. The senator asks whether the School Safety Commission will examine firearms, and the chair says that is not part of its charge. - [01:07 to 01:31] Gun violence versus broader school safety. The senator contrasts studying gun violence with studying school safety, and the chair says the focus is on ensuring students are safe. - [01:31 to 02:17] Questioning AR-15 access for 18-year-olds. The senator asks whether 18-year-olds should be able to buy AR-15 style weapons and ammunition, and the chair calls it a matter for debate. - [02:17 to 03:33] International comparison and evasive answers. The senator asks about countries with similar screen time but fewer shootings, and the chair gives a non-committal answer. ## Key quotes - [01:31] interviewer: "The Gun of choices for mass shooters is an AR- 15." - [02:17] chair: "I believe that's very much a matter for debate." - [03:18] chair: "Not per se." - [03:29] interviewer: "gun violence in the schools, but not look at guns is an interesting concept." - [00:56] chair: "That is not part of the commission's charge, per se." ## Questions this video answers - Will the School Safety Commission look at the role of firearms in gun violence in schools? [00:32] - Is the commission studying countries where students spend as much time on video games and social media but have less gun violence? [02:19] ## Content suitability - violence [00:00-03:33]: Discussion of school shootings and mass shootings, including the Parkland and Santa Fe incidents. - death [00:00-01:07]: References 17 students and educators killed in Florida and 10 students and teachers killed in Santa Fe, Texas. - politics [00:00-03:33]: Congressional questioning of a federal official on gun policy and school safety. - tragedy [00:02-00:14]: Describes recent school shootings and their victims.  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Updated: Dec 12, 2023 7:31 PM UTCPublished: Jun 5, 2018 4:33 PM UTC U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the Federal Commission on School Safety —established in response to the deadly Parkland shooting — won’t look into the role of guns in school shootings  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Updated: Dec 12, 2023 7:31 PM UTCPublished: Jun 5, 2018 4:33 PM UTC U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the Federal Commission on School Safety —established in response to the [deadly Parkland shooting](http://time.com/5299679/majory-stoneman-douglas-2018-graduation/) — won’t look into the role of guns in school shootings. The revelation came [during a Senate subcommittee hearing](https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/review-of-the-fy2019-budget-request-for-the-department-of-education) on Tuesday about the Education Department’s budget. “That is not part of the commission’s charge, per se,” DeVos said when asked by Democratic Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy whether the commission will “look at the role of firearms as it relates to gun violence in our schools.” The [commission was established](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-taking-immediate-actions-secure-schools/) by President Donald Trump in March “to address school safety and the culture of violence.” “So you’re studying gun violence but not considering the role of guns?” Leahy asked DeVos again. “We’re actually studying school safety and how we can ensure our students are safe at school,” DeVos said. That appears to be a change since the commission was established and tasked with studying “age restrictions for certain firearm purchases,” among other issues. DeVos, who serves as chair of the commission, also side-stepped a question about whether she thinks an 18-year-old high school student should be able to buy an [AR-15 rifle](http://time.com/5160267/gun-used-florida-school-shooting-ar-15/), the type of weapon allegedly used during the Parkland shooting by a 19-year-old former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The suspect, Nikolas Cruz, legally purchased the weapon after he turned 18\. “Do you believe an 18-year-old high school student should be able to walk into a store and minutes later come out with an AR-15-style assault weapon and hundreds of rounds of ammunition?” Leahy asked DeVos. “I believe that’s very much a matter for debate, and I know that’s been debated within this body and will continue to be,” DeVos said. “Our focus is on raising up successful, proven techniques and approaches to ensuring schools are safe for students to attend.” The commission plans to hold a [public listening session](https://www.ed.gov/news/media-advisories/federal-commission-school-safety-host-public-listening-session) at the Education Department on Wednesday. ## Transcript [00:00] You are the chair of the president's School Safety [00:02] Commission that was formed after the school shooting [00:06] in Florida left 17 students and educators dead. [00:10] Our country is now averaging a school shooting each [00:14] week. In fact, one day after the commission [00:18] met last month, Another ten students and teachers [00:22] were killed in Santa Fe, Texas. I understand your [00:27] commission intends to release it's recommendations by [00:29] the end of the year. Will your commission look at the [00:32] roll of firearms as it relates to gun violence in our [00:35] schools? Thanks, Senator, for that question. And it [00:40] is an honor to serve and lead this commission. We are [00:43] focused on the 20 some different provisions that. Will [00:47] you be looking? I know, I understand it is a law. I'm [00:51] also thinking the chairman has. Difficulties. I'll try to [00:54] give you a question that could be answered yes or no. [00:56] Will your commission look at the role of firearms as it [00:59] relates to gun violence in our schools? That is not part [01:02] of the commission's charge, per se. I see, so you're [01:07] studying gun violence but not considering the role of [01:10] guns. We're actually studying school safety and how we [01:13] can ensure our students are safe at school. Well, you're [01:17] studying things like how much time you spend on video [01:20] games and all that. But you can go to a lot of other [01:22] countries where they spend just as much time but have [01:26] only a tiny fraction of the shootings that we do. The [01:31] Gun of choices for mass shooters is an AR- 15. [01:36] do you believe an 18 year old high school student [01:39] should be able to walk into a store, minutes later come [01:41] out with an AR- 15 style gun and hundreds [01:45] of rounds of ammunition? Well, sir, I know that this [01:48] body and your counterparts on the other side of the [01:51] capitol have Address a number of these issues [01:56] and I know that you're going to continue to debate [01:58] them and discuss them. I'm trying to give you [01:59] questions that could be answered yes or no. So let me [02:01] repeat it in case I wasn't clear. Thank you. Do you [02:05] believe an 18 year old high school student should be [02:07] able to walk into a store and minutes later come out [02:10] with an AR Fifteen styled assault weapons and [02:14] hundreds of rounds of ammunition. I believe that's very [02:17] much a matter for debate. And I know that's been [02:19] debated within this body and will continue to be. Our [02:23] focus is on raising up succesful proven [02:28] techniques and approaches to ensuring schools are [02:31] safe for students to attend. Are you looking at those [02:33] other countries where the students have spend as just [02:37] as much time on social media and video games [02:40] everything else but have much lower [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [02:47] Gun violence in their schools. We had a very important [02:50] meeting last week in Maryland at a school within a [02:53] district that has employed an approach [02:57] called PBIS for 16 or 18 years that deals with- I'm [03:01] sorry. Maybe I didn't make my question clear. Are you [03:03] looking at some of those countries where the students [03:06] do just as much time on video games and just [03:11] as much time on social media as we do. But do not [03:15] have gun violence? Are you looking at those at all? [03:18] That's a yes or no. Not per se. Thank you. So [03:25] we'll, [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Okay, gun violence in [03:29] the schools, but not look at guns is an interesting [03:32] concept. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5301750/betsy-devos-school-safety-commission-gun-violence/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5301750/betsy-devos-school-safety-commission-gun-violence/"},"headline":"Trump's Education Secretary Says School Safety Commission Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings","datePublished":"2018-06-05T16:33:08.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T19:31:01.000Z","description":"“That is not part of the commission’s charge, per se,\" DeVos said","url":"https://time.com/5301750/betsy-devos-school-safety-commission-gun-violence/","keywords":["Education","Congress","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee630e25d64fd2d3/69893252656a3fc552bd49de/betsy-devos-school-safety-gun-violence.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Katie Reilly","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee630e25d64fd2d3/69893252656a3fc552bd49de/betsy-devos-school-safety-gun-violence.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Betsy DeVos","caption":"Betsy DeVos","creditText":"Tom Williams—CQ-Roll Call,Inc.","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/education/","name":"Education"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5301750/betsy-devos-school-safety-commission-gun-violence/","name":"Trump's Education Secretary Says School Safety Commission Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Trump's Education Secretary Says School Safety Commission Won't Look at Role of Guns in School Shootings","description":"U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the Federal Commission on School Safety —established in response to the deadly Parkland shooting — won’t look into the role of guns in school shootings","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/sKVXkNrf/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-06-05T19:47:42.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/sKVXkNrf.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5301750/betsy-devos-school-safety-commission-gun-violence/","duration":"PT3M33S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5301750/betsy-devos-school-safety-commission-gun-violence/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```