Post-Perry: Why Iowa Should Focus on Gun Violence Prevention

It’s been nearly a year since Dylan Butler, a high school student, opened fired on students and staff of Perry High School, killing an 11-year-old Ahmir Jolliff and high school Principle Dan Marburger, as well as wounding two staff members and four students.  

336 days have passed since January 4th, 2024, yet the state has taken little to no action on gun violence prevention, let alone gun violence prevention in Iowan schools.  

Iowan lawmakers were quick to offer their thoughts and prayers to the victims, families, and all those affected by the shooting, but made no indication of initiatives that Iowa could take to protect schools from gun violence.  

Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa joined law enforcement in Perry following the tragedy, and offered her thoughts and prayers, as well as promising Iowans to get answers in order to prevent more gun violence in schools.  

“Our hearts are heady today and our prayers are with the Perry community,” said Reynolds. “This strikes at the heart of everything that we hold dear. This senseless tragedy has shaped our entire state to the core. And I want this community to know that every Iowan stands with you. It’s impossible to understand why anything like this happens. But again, I want you to know that we’ll work tirelessly to get the answers so that we can prevent it from happening again.” 

While Reynolds offered thoughts, prayers, and empty promises, State Auditor of Iowa, Rob Sand, shared how he believes change can be done.  

“As a father, I am sickened by today’s horrors in Perry. Thank you to educators and law enforcement for their work to protect kids,” said Sand. “Every Iowan can offer thoughts and prayers for the Perry community, but elected officials with the power to reduce senseless violence must do more.” 

Four days following the shooting, on Jan. 8, 2024, the Iowa Legislature began the 2024 legislative session, with Republicans promising plans to increase school security and Democrats promising changes to mental health and gun safety in Iowa.  

Gov. Reynolds opened the Republican Party of Iowa breakfast with a moment of silence and a speech offering thoughts and prayers, while Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum chose a different route for her opening speech.  

Jochum said, “No child should go to school fearing for their lives, but today, millions do… Gun safety should not be a partisan issue. Protecting kids should not a partisan issue. It’s time for us to come together with real solutions, including increased support for our public schools and meaningful investment in youth mental health services.”  

Iowa’s elected officials were met at the Capitol in Des Moines by around 300 protestors, while the advocacy group, March For Our Lives, planned a statewide student walkout.  

It seems as though Gov. Reynolds’ promise to the people of Perry and the rest of Iowa held very little substance, considering the 2024 Iowa Legislative session focused on ripping a part Iowa’s Area Education Agencies, repealing the gender balance requirement for state boards and commissions, and reshaping the behavioral health system, all of which were signed into law by the governor.  

Even more concerning, although not passing, Iowa Republican Lawmakers spent most of the 2024 session coming up with legislation to further attack the transgender community of Iowa, all while no actions were being taken to address to devastating shooting in Perry. 

It is important to mention the state government of Iowa is dominated heavily by republicans, with a 64-seat majority over democrats 36 seats in the House, and a 35-seat majority over democrats 15 seats in the Senate.  

Republican lawmakers in Iowa promised to address this issue, but instead they passed House File 2586, a bill that allows school staff to carry a firearm on school grounds after meeting training requirements and receiving a permit by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.  

According to Everytown For Gun Safety, a teacher permitted to carry a firearm in a school is more likely to shoot a student bystander or be shot by a police officer in the event of an active shooter. In a 2022 survey, 54 percent of 1,000 US teachers stated that allowing teachers to carry firearms would decrease the overall safety in schools. 

While republicans were allowing firearms inside of schools, democrats attempted to pass gun safety laws that couldn’t get enough support from their republican colleagues.  

On average, one person is killed each day in Iowa due to injuries caused by firearms, and from 2018 to 2022, firearms were the second leading cause of death among children aged 1 to 17-years-old.  

Iowa does not require those possessing a rifle, shotgun, or handgun to have a state permit, furthermore, there is no requirement to have a state permit to purchase a rifle or shotgun. Iowa allows the carry of firearms with no permit. The state prohibits any political subdivision of Iowa from regulating the ownership, possession, carrying, legal transfer, registration, or licensing of firearms, if those are all lawful under state law.  

It is time that our legislature in Iowa take a proactive role in preventing gun violence in our communities and in our schools. The state of Iowa must implement laws that require a permit to purchase and possess any firearm, as well as a red flag law. The state should also consider increasing mental health funding throughout the state, implementing a Threat Identification and Assessment Program in all Iowa schools, and push the education of safe and secure gun storage and usage.