In the wake of the deadly shooting at Oxford High School, Republican leaders in the state House have formed a bipartisan committee to explore ways to improve school safety. The panel will look at how to improve safety protocols at schools and to assess and improve student mental health. 

Meanwhile, Democrats have introduced several bills  this session to reduce gun violence by prohibiting the sale or possession of high-capacity magazines; require safe gun storage and universal background checks; keep guns away from domestic abusers; and prohibit guns from the Capitol. 

A student at the school, Ethan Crumbley, 15, is charged with 24 felony counts in the attack that killed four and injured seven. His parents face involuntary manslaughter charges for allegedly giving him the gun used in the attack and ignoring warnings from the school about his mental health. 

Oxford Education Association President Jim Gibbons says he’s considering taking up activism of his own around the issue of reducing school violence. 

While he hasn’t had time to develop ideas, Gibbons says he’s interested in exploring ways to identify and intervene with students who haven’t formed connections at school.  “I just want to find tools to stop this at the front end so others don’t have to go through what we are going through,” he said. 

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