Politics
For Florida families, school safety must come first; Jared Moskowitz gets that
Eight years after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the responsibility to protect children has not changed. Seventeen students and educators were murdered in Parkland. My beloved daughter, Gina, was one of them.
Since that day, my family and the families of the other victims have worked alongside educators, law enforcement officials, policy and lawmakers to turn unimaginable loss into meaningful action. We have learned that school safety is not a partisan issue. It is a responsibility that demands leadership, collaboration, and a commitment to doing the difficult work of preventing the next tragedy.
That is why Florida needs Jared Moskowitz in Congress.
Jared is not an outsider looking in on the school safety debate. He is a graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a member of the Florida community forever changed by that day, and a leader who has made protecting students a priority throughout his public service. He understands what is at stake, and he has demonstrated that understanding through action.
In Congress, Jared, a Democrat, has helped bring school safety back to the center of the conversation. In 2023, he helped establish the Congressional Bipartisan School Safety and Security Caucus alongside Republican colleagues, creating a forum for lawmakers to work together on practical solutions. Preventing school violence requires cooperation across party lines, and we need more members willing to build those relationships rather than retreat into partisan arguments. That kind of leadership matters.
Moskowitz has consistently called for continued federal investment in foundational school safety programs, including the Fix NICS Act and the STOP School Violence Act, building on the progress these bipartisan laws have made possible. He also supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which expanded school safety funding, strengthened mental health services, and advanced responsible gun violence prevention measures. These laws established important tools to help protect students and school communities, but their promise can only be fulfilled if Congress sustains its commitment to funding, implementing, and building on these efforts.
Jared has also remained committed to ensuring the lessons of Parkland are not forgotten. He helped arrange and joined Parkland families and senior national leaders, including the Vice President, Director of the Secret Service, and FBI, for walkthroughs of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s 1200 building before its demolition. Those visits offered an opportunity to confront the failures that preceded the massacre and reinforce why accountability, reform, and school safety improvements remain necessary.
But remembrance alone is not enough. We need lawmakers like Congressman Moskowitz who will continue advancing solutions.
Jared has introduced and supported bipartisan legislation and proposals such as the Measures for Safer School Districts Act, the Strengthening Our Schools Act, and legislation to improve emergency notification systems reflect an understanding that there is no single solution to school violence. America’s schools need layered protections, trained personnel, clear procedures, and access to the resources necessary to act when warning signs emerge.
Florida has already shown what determined leadership can accomplish. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act established significant school safety requirements, expanded mental health supports, and strengthened protections in the aftermath of the shooting. Additional state legislation has continued that work, but laws are only the beginning. They must be implemented, evaluated, and improved as schools confront new challenges.
At Stand with Parkland, we do not measure leadership by party affiliation or political rhetoric. We measure it by a willingness to listen to families, work with people to find consensus, and pursue reforms that can make a real difference. Moskowitz has demonstrated that commitment, and his work in Congress has helped keep school safety on the agenda.
Florida’s families deserve representatives who will continue that work long after the headlines fade. They deserve leaders who understand that prevention is not a talking point, that bipartisan cooperation is not a weakness, and that protecting students and teachers must remain a priority.
The people of Florida’s 25th Congressional District have an important choice to make. I believe Moskowitz has earned the opportunity to continue serving them and fighting for safer schools.
Eight years after Parkland, we cannot afford to treat school safety as a finished job. We need experienced, committed leaders who will keep pushing for progress. I urge voters to return Moskowitz to Congress so that work can continue.
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Tony Montalto is President and co-Founder of Stand with Parkland, The National Association of Families for Safe Schools. His 14-year-old daughter, Gina, was killed in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He advocates for bipartisan solutions to prevent school violence and protect students and educators.
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