South Carolina Coalition for Safer Schools

The South Carolina Coalition for Safer Schools is cross-sector collaboration of advocacy associations focused on the well-being of the children of South Carolina. The primary focus of the work of each association ranges across areas including the education, mental health, and physical health of children. However, in spite of these differences, each association in the Coalition is united in our desire to see public policy used as means to creating a safer environment for children to grow and development, both at school and in their communities. 

The work of the coalition started in response to the proliferation of violent acts against children during the spring of 2022, both locally and nationally, particularly the tragic losses of life at Tanglewood Middle School in Greenville and at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. During the summer of 2022, members of the Coalition worked collaboratively and in partnership with other child-focused associations in South Carolina to develop a School Safety Policy Agenda as an advocacy tool for the passage of local, state, and federal policies to address the root causes of violence against children in our state.

1. We believe that every child in South Carolina has the right to grow and learn in schools and communities that are free of violence and fear. 

2. We believe the creation of safe environments for children requires the coordinated and collaborative efforts of diverse groups and individuals.

3. We believe the factors that contribute to violence against children are multi-faceted and can not be solved by any single policy action.

4. We believe the work to find policy solutions to keep children safe is urgent and is of critical importance to every South Carolinian.

5. We believe enactment of each policy in our School Safety Policy Agenda holds the potential to be the solution that can save a single child from a single act of violence.