President Trump promises to eliminate gun-free school zones. Many think he will likely sign an executive order soon.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) also recently introduced a bill, which would repeal the Gun-Free School Zones Act. Massie commented about the zones, “They do not and cannot prevent criminals or the mentally ill from committing acts of violence. But they often prevent victims of such violence from protecting themselves.”

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testified to Congress that she thinks guns may be needed in some state schools to protect against grizzly bears.

However, the Gun-Free School Zones Act was originally designed to reduce the number of firearms brought by students to school grounds. No clear-thinking adult wants students to bring guns or weapons to school grounds to protect themselves at school, threaten others, or settle any grievances. Repeal of the gun-free zones will likely increase the number of guns brought by students to schools — and the risk of gun-related violence.

It will decrease students’ sense of safety if more of their peers bring weapons to school. We should address the root causes of weapons on school grounds and lower the overall number of students affected day to day by the presence of weapons in many of their schools.

In 1993, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that 12 percent of adolescents nationwide reported bringing a weapon to school. Since then, the percentage of potentially lethal weapons brought to school has been cut by more than half. Survey data from 2013 showed that 5.2 percent of middle and high school students reported bringing a weapon to school. This is a remarkable reduction.

Schools are now safer and have far fewer weapons than all other contexts. However, the problem of weapons on school grounds is still too high in many states and cities. Hundreds of thousands of students report being affected or involved with weapons on school grounds.

Read more in the Huffington Post.