Since the Columbine tragedy in 1999, more than 311,000 U.S. students have personally experienced gun violence while at school, according to The Washington Post[i]. That is the equivalent of every student in Philadelphia’s public school system living through the trauma of a shooting on campus. And the number grows every year.

In 2024 alone, there were more than 70 incidents of gunfire on school grounds across the United States, according to Everytown for Gun Safety[ii]. Each statistic represents real people, students, teachers, staff, and families, whose lives will never be the same.

We can all agree that the situation is tragic. What we cannot agree on is how to fix it. Gun policy debates have hardened into political trenches. One side advocates putting armed guards in every school and allowing teachers to carry weapons. The other side calls for limits on firearm sales, higher purchase ages, and longer waiting periods.

These positions remain deeply divided. In the meantime, the danger is still there, today, tomorrow, and every day a student walks through the doors of a school.

It is time to focus on solutions that do not require waiting for national consensus. We have technology that can detect firearms before the shooting starts. We have the ability to warn, to lock down, and to coordinate emergency response in seconds. And now, for the first time, we have a way to give this technology to every K–12 school in America without cost being an obstacle.

That is what Bailey’s Promise delivers.

Why Bailey’s Promise Exists

In 2022, I wrote about the urgent need to upgrade school security technology. At that time, one barrier loomed larger than all others: cost.

Many schools already had surveillance cameras, but they were almost never monitored live. Often, they were used only for after-the-fact investigations, to identify who dented a car in the parking lot or which students were involved in a fight. By the time footage was reviewed, the damage was done.

AI-powered firearm detection existed, but it was often dismissed as too expensive, too complex, or too far down the budget priority list. Even when schools had funds, getting approvals could take months or years.

The result was predictable. A potentially life-saving tool stayed out of reach for the very communities that needed it most.

Bailey’s Promise changes this reality.

• The firearm detection software license is completely free for every K–12 school in the United States, public or private.
• It works with existing security cameras, so there is no need to purchase or install new hardware.
• A straightforward onboarding process and minimal service fees cover configuration, support, and updates for up to 10 cameras per school.

By removing the financial barrier, the equipment barrier, and  we hope, the bureaucratic delays, Bailey’s Promise gives schools a clear, immediate path to protection.

Seconds Save Lives

In any active shooter situation, speed is everything. Medical professionals who treat trauma patients say there is a “golden hour” after injury when survival odds are highest. In school shootings, victims may not have an hour. They may have minutes, or even seconds.

AI-powered firearm detection can spot a gun in real time and trigger alerts before a shot is fired. Imagine this:

• A gun is detected outside the school at a distance of 200 feet.
• The system instantly notifies staff, law enforcement, and emergency responders.
• Automated lockdowns secure entrances, preventing the attacker from getting inside.
• Teachers receive shelter-in-place instructions on their devices.
• Law enforcement sees live video of the suspect’s location before arriving on scene.

That is the difference between panic and preparation. Between chaos and coordinated response. Between lives lost and lives saved.

This technology is not hypothetical. It is the same type of AI used every day to protect airports, stadiums, transit systems, and other high-value locations. Yet for years, it has been out of reach for schools. Bailey’s Promise changes that.

From Opinion to Action

When I first wrote about this in 2022, my message to parents, school boards, and legislators was clear: demand funding for technology that can prevent or mitigate attacks. Many agreed. But too often, the conversation stalled at the same point, “We cannot afford it.”

Bailey’s Promise removes that excuse.

It is named in honor of Bailey Holt, one of two students killed in the 2018 Marshall County High School shooting in Kentucky. Bailey was a bright, compassionate teenager who loved her family and friends deeply. She deserved the chance to live out her dreams. Her parents, Secret and Jason Holt, partnered with us to make sure no community would be denied protection because of cost.

Bailey’s Promise is not just a program. It is a commitment to act where action is possible, to protect children while the larger policy debates continue.

The Reality in Schools Today

Most K–12 schools already have security cameras, electronic access controls, and emergency notification systems. Many of these were installed a decade or more ago, funded by post-Sandy Hook grants and state programs. They were considered advanced at the time, but technology has moved forward.

The truth is that most school cameras are not monitored live. A single security guard, often stationed at the front desk, might watch a small rotating selection of feeds while also handling visitor check-ins and ID verifications. Broad situational awareness across an entire campus is rare.

AI can change that. It is not subject to fatigue or distraction. It can monitor every connected camera at once, 24 hours a day, and recognize a firearm the instant it appears. It can integrate with existing infrastructure to trigger lockdowns, send alerts, and provide law enforcement with vital information in real time.

This is the level of protection our students deserve, and with Bailey’s Promise, it is now within reach for every school in America.

A Call to Every Community

The conversation about gun laws will continue. But our children cannot wait for consensus in Washington. Technology exists today to detect threats and save lives. Now it exists for every school, without excuses.

If you are a parent, educator, or community leader, do not assume your school already has this capability. Visit www.radsecurity.com/baileys-promise. The application process is simple. The need is urgent. The cost barrier is gone.

Our kids deserve better. Bailey’s Promise delivers it.