GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel visited Grand Rapids Public Schools Thursday to meet with district officials.
She talked with the superintendent and director of security to try to understand the unique challenges they are facing.
AG Nessel believes the state’s recently passed safe storage laws will impact schools’ ability to keep firearms out of the hands of children.
“It is frightening to think you could be sending your child to school and another child has a weapon,” Nessel said. “So, hopefully this is an opportunity when you think of it for messaging to get out this is an illegal act, or it will be, as of next year.”
The meeting comes after another GRPS student was found with a gun at school.
READ MORE: Backpacks banned from GRPS after loaded gun found on 3rd grader
FOX 17 learned the gun found at Stocking Elementary Wednesday was not just loaded but also had a bullet in the chamber.
Nessel wanted to hear from school officials about what they think is driving the uptick in the number of guns being confiscated from students in recent years.
Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby touched on mental health issues left over from isolation during the pandemic, along with the way firearms are seen in popular culture and how kids are exposed to a more prevalent “gun culture.”
GRPS says the backpack ban that went into effect Thursday is not a catch-all solution, but they hope it will help cut off access to guns and take a step forward in creating safer schools.
“We stand with you. We get it. I have never imagined in my career I would have to do something around this, banning backpacks. I want children to be safe,” Dr. Roby said.
“[Wednesday], we said to them we did not want them to bring book bags and we want to hold to that right now. What we want to do is to continue to gather more data from them, hear from them and then in the coming months, before we start school again, we’ll make the best decision for our community and how to keep them safe,” Larry Johnson, Chief of Staff and Executive Director of GRPS Public Safety and School Security, added.
Additionally, the district officials acknowledged student protests Thursday, saying they will continue to stand with students and their families, and listen to their feedback.
READ MORE: 100+ students walk out of City High Middle to protest GRPS backpack ban
