Dear Florida Legislature,

We, the undersigned students and faculty from public colleges and universities across Florida, write to you with urgency and resolve: Vote NO on HB 757/SB 896.

This legislation would extend the “Guardian Program” to our college campuses, allowing professors and other university staff to carry loaded firearms and act as armed “guardians,” with little training and accountability.

We strongly oppose this bill.

The existing “Guardian Program” in Florida was created in response to the tragedy in Parkland, but it has never been evaluated for effectiveness and instead has resulted in around 100 reports of “guardians” or officers either discharging their guns outside of training or being disciplined for other reasons since 2020. But we don’t even know the details of those potentially dangerous incidents because the Florida Department of Education has kept those reports confidential. There is no evidence that arming educators deters gun violence or reduces the lethality of a shooting. Meanwhile, the risks are real and documented:

● Armed “guardians” receive significantly less training than law enforcement (144 hours vs. 770 hours).

● Even highly trained officers experience decreased accuracy in high-stress active shooter situations.

● Firearms brought onto school grounds have been unintentionally discharged, stolen, mishandled, and used in suicides and homicides.

● Insurance providers often view arming staff as an escalation of risk, leading to higher premiums, canceled policies, or coverage exclusions.

In Committee testimony on HB 757 , Professor Emily Stewart, an Assistant Professor at Florida State University, shared her harrowing, first-hand experience on campus in the aftermath of FSU’s most recent deadly campus mass shooting on April 17, 2025. She shared how armed faculty and staff would have only added to the chaos and fear of that day, making the campus community less safe by complicating the response of law enforcement officers. Her testimony underscores a critical truth: we need fewer guns on campus, not more. Educators are not law enforcement officers. They are mentors, scholars, and guides. Asking them to carry firearms fundamentally changes the relationship between students and faculty and jeopardizes the trust that makes learning possible.

Most universities have trained campus police to manage safety and security, so allowing citizens to carry guns on campus is unnecessary and will create even more risks. Faculty and staff with

limited firearm training can escalate conflicts, increase the chance of unintentional shootings, and make it harder for law enforcement to respond effectively in an emergency.

Across the country, districts— including counties in Florida — have actively rejected policies to arm teachers. Students and parents consistently oppose turning schools into armed zones.

From Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to Florida State University, our state has experienced unimaginable tragedy on school grounds. The answer is not to flood campuses with more guns. The answer is evidence-informed gun violence prevention.

We are asking you to stand with students, educators, and families who want safe learning environments, not armed teachers.

Do not put professors on the front lines. Do not normalize more guns in higher education. Do not expand a program that lacks transparency and proven effectiveness.

Vote NO on HB 757/SB 896

Signed by,

United Faculty of Florida, Florida International University

University of Florida chapter of the United Faculty of Florida

The Florida State University (FSU) chapter of the United Faculty of Florida

University of South Florida Democrats, St. Pete

University of Florida Students Demand Action

Florida State University Students Demand Action

Team Enough

People Power United Florida

Florida A&M University Students Demand Action

Florida A&M Power Up People

Florida A&M Chapter of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

University of Florida College Democrats