"We want them to learn from our tragedy. We want them to learn from the mistakes that happened that day so that these things never happen again," said Lori Alhadeff whose daughter was killed in the shooting.

Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, who replaced Penny Schwinn in July 2023, does not hold a teaching license even though a 100-plus-year-old state law requires the commissioner to be a "person of literary and scientific attainments and of skill and experience in school administration."

Teachers in the Boston suburb have been working without a contract since the start of the school year. The Newton Teachers Association (NTA) is calling for better pay and a living wage for teaching assistants, some of whom start at $26,000 a year.

The Educator-Protector Program would encourage teachers to "responsibly secure or carry a firearm on school grounds."