Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence Applauds Court Ruling that Upholds Post Parkland Law Preventing Firearms Sales to People Under 21

Danbury, CT – Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence co-founders Abbey Clements and Sarah Lerner released the following Statement regarding a ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, which has ruled en banc to uphold Florida’s law prohibiting individuals under the age of 21 from buying firearms. 

“The passage of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act was incredibly important because it meant that we had taken a small but vital step forward in keeping guns out of the hands of young people. Study after study has shown that this does the most harm,” said Sarah Lerner, co-founder of Teachers Unify. “As a survivor of the MSD shooting in 2018, I know that nothing can change what happened. I will always honor those who were taken and those who were impacted and will have to work through PTSD and trauma for the rest of my life. Keeping this law on the books means more teachers and more students in Florida can go to school free from the fear of gun violence in the classroom and on campus.” 

“I know firsthand that this ruling will lead to safer communities and safer schools, because 18-20 year olds are more likely to be involved in gun violence than other adults,” said Abbey Clements, co-founder and executive director of Teachers Unify. “With 57 incidents of gun violence every day in America in or near schools, we must use every tool at our disposal to create safer learning spaces for children, which is why it is so important that the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act was upheld.” 

Background: According to Everytown, firearms are the leading cause of death for young people ages 18 to 20. Eighteen to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at over triple the rate of adults 21 years and older. The Trace has reported that every day, an average of 57 shootings occur near a school in the United States.

SARAH LERNER is a co-founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, and host of the Teachers Unify Podcast. She is a survivor teacher of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy in 2018. Lerner began teaching in 2002 and came to MSD in 2014. Lerner was the editor of Parkland Speaks, and has been published in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times and has appeared on MSNBC, HLN, CNN, and more. She has been a keynote speaker for AFT, Council of Chief State School Officers, Florida Literary Association, Florida Association of Colleges for Teachers, and AFT Share My Lesson.

Abbey Clements is the executive director and a Co-Founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence. She is a survivor teacher of the Sandy Hook School tragedy in 2012, and was an elementary educator for over 30 years. She is a strategic consultant on gun violence issues for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and a member of the ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence National Advisory Council. Abbey has been featured in various events, publications, and documentaries including the 2024 DNC, Newtown, If I Don’t Make It, I Love You, Bullets Into Bells, AFT Voices, USA Today, AARP, Share My Lesson, The Hill, among others.

Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence envisions a future where every school in the United States is a safe haven and a safe learning environment for every child, and where all citizens live without the fear and trauma of gun violence.

March 17, 2025
Contact: Press@teachersunify.org

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