This is my last column before we face the five-year anniversary of the Saugus High School shooting in November. For parents, school shootings are our worst nightmare. Tragically, it was a reality for thousands of parents, students, educators, and law enforcement right here in our own community. Everyone was either personally impacted that day, or knows someone who was.  For me, the Tretta family are the people I know most impacted that day. Mia was one of the students shot at Saugus High School. Her best friend died after being shot. I will never forget the photo of Mia at her graduation, next to an empty chair where her best friend should have been, decorated to honor him. I think of this image every time I hear of yet another school shooting, and anytime my own daughter has a lockdown at her school.  Last week, when I had to race over to pick up my daughter because there were threats of a school shooting at her school, she was filled with terror when I got to her, telling me her biggest fear is being killed in a school shooting.  That call and the fear in her face was horrifying, and even though the threats were investigated without a shooting ever happening, those moments never leave you or your child.  When a school shooting happens in Santa Clarita, the fourth safest city in the United States, we know school shootings can happen anywhere, in any community, until our political leaders have the courage enough to act.  Mia and her mom, Tiffany, have taken action and dedicated themselves to speaking out against gun violence and ensuring we have laws and policies in place so this unspeakable tragedy never happens again. In their efforts, I am so honored that they have chosen to support my re-election to the Assembly — they are standing up against extremism and supporting someone who they know will always do what it takes to keep our kids safe at school.  School shootings are a uniquely American problem, and one we can and must solve. From 2020 to 2024, the years following the Saugus High shooting, there have been approximately 773 school shootings across the country, resulting in 227 students who lost their lives and 533 who were injured. That doesn’t even account for the bystanders and witnesses, whose lives were forever changed by those tragedies.  These shootings happened, even though we know what it takes to end them. In fact, we still have laws in many states that continue to make our kids vulnerable to this level of violence. When the gun lobby spends millions and millions of dollars to continue to elect people who will stand in the way of progress for our kids, this is the result.  As a mom, this all really hits home. But you don’t need to be a parent to have empathy for the families who send their kids to school every day — a place that should be one of the safest for our children — and not know if their child will be the next victim of these senseless crimes.  That’s why, once elected to the Assembly, I took the responsibility of protecting our kids from gun violence incredibly seriously, enhancing their safety through common-sense gun violence prevention laws that address the root causes of gun violence.  The legislative measures I have led and supported aim to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands, regulate new dangerous technologies, and improve accountability for gun-related crimes. This legislation includes: • Regulating 3D printers used to manufacture firearms and imposing civil liability for damage caused by firearms illegally manufactured by these printers. • Creating a state office for gun violence prevention. • Authorizing the Department of Justice to delay a firearms background check up to 30 days if they cannot determine a purchaser’s eligibility due to certain convictions or mental health confinements. • Requiring all guns sold to include microstamping tracing technology. As you can see, our efforts are not focused on criminalizing responsible gun ownership. I grew up shooting guns with my dad, who taught us about safe and responsible gun handling and ownership. My dad isn’t phased by the common-sense gun laws we pass — in fact, he also supports them. Because, like me, he knows these  laws are designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, kids, and others who are a danger to our community.  I am so grateful that, in California, we are leading the way and can not afford to go back. Our biggest challenge here remains holding the line and building pressure as a national leader, so other states with lower standards that  supply a lot of the guns used in California follow in our footsteps, for the sake of our communities and theirs. These measures are not partisan — assault weapon bans, red flag laws and safe storage are policies supported by the vast majority of those in our community and country because they are common-sense protections to ensure our kids, and all families, are safe. Safety is our basic right and our elected leaders should do all in their power to ensure community safety.  Sadly, there are too many politicians who don’t support these common-sense measures, standing in the way of our progress. Shockingly, there are even some running for office who don’t even think school shootings are real.  As we approach November, I would encourage you to do your research. Understand who on the ballot will ensure measures like those I’ve supported are passed, and who is far too extreme and dangerous for our community.  Mia, her best friend, their parents, and all kids who have lost their lives, who have been injured, or who have in any way been impacted by gun violence at school, deserve nothing less. Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, represents the 40th Assembly District, which includes most of the Santa Clarita Valley in addition to the northwest San Fernando Valley. “Democratic Voices” appears Tuesdays and rotates among local Democrats. The post Pilar Schiavo | Reminders That Our Kids Deserve Safety at School appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.