Congressman Sorensen Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Keep Schools Safe for Kids

Congressmen Eric Sorensen (IL-17) and Zach Nunn (IA-03) reintroduced their bipartisan Safe Schools and Communities Act aimed at improving school safety programs in our communities. The legislation creates competitive grants at the Department of Education for school districts to prevent human trafficking, raise awareness about drug abuse, reduce gang activity, and eliminate community violence.

“When parents send their kids to school, they want to know they are going to return home safely,” said Congressman Sorensen. “We can make our schools and communities safer by equipping our teachers with the tools they need to raise awareness about keeping kids safe, preventing drug abuse, and eliminating violence among students. Too many of our neighbors across Central and Northwestern Illinois have lost a loved one to violence or addiction, and this bipartisan legislation will help put a stop to generational cycles of trauma and addiction.”

“I’m proud of the work we’ve done to crack down on traffickers through smart legislation like the HALT Fentanyl Act—but that’s only half the battle,” said Congressman Nunn. “This commonsense, bipartisan bill puts resources to work in our schools to give educators the tools to intervene early, support students, and prevent drug use, exploitation, and gang involvement before it starts."

“Keeping our young people safe is a shared responsibility, and the Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) is proud to work with more than 140 schools throughout Central Illinois to stop abuse before it begins through comprehensive, age appropriate, evidence-based prevention education,” said Carol Merna, CEO of Center for Prevention of Abuse. “We should all work together to arrive at the day when no young person will be lost to human trafficking and other forms of violence and abuse. The Safe Schools and Communities Act will equip schools with important prevention education resources.  It is more than policy, it’s a bold affirmation that safety isn’t a privilege, it’s a right.”

“This legislation is critically important to begin to address the root cause issues that lead to long term trauma for our children,” said Demario Boone, Director of School Safety at Peoria Public Schools. “Minimalizing these traumas early on not only helps our schools, but our communities. It combats the traumas of human trafficking, drug abuse, gang activity and community violence. Prevention instead of reaction should be the primary goal of any legislation. This is it.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, crimes like human trafficking and drug use often stem from gang activity. Gang-involved youth are more likely to abuse substances and face long-term challenges such as dropping out of school, family instability, and difficulty finding steady employment.

Over 70,000 drug related deaths in 2021 were attributed to synthetic opioids other than methadone—primarily fentanyl. Fentanyl poisoning is now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18-45.