The Fire of Liberty Show
The Fire of Liberty Show is your weekly dose of inspiration from everyday moms and dads who are stepping up, speaking out, and taking bold action to protect their children’s future and our nation’s values. Meet the Joyful Warriors on the frontlines—parents exposing harmful ideologies, sharing stories of heartbreak, resilience, and victory. These are the voices of courage and conviction, refusing to sit on the sidelines when it comes to their children's education and well-being.
The Fire of Liberty Show
🔥Detect, Deter, Defend - Ep. 41 - The Fire of Liberty Show
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On this episode of The Fire of Liberty Show, we sit down with Ryan Petty, Chair of the Florida State Board of Education and member of the Moms for Liberty Advisory Council.
Ryan’s life changed forever on February 14, 2018, when his daughter Alaina was murdered in the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. She was one of 17 students and educators lost that day. In the midst of unimaginable grief, Ryan and his wife Kelly chose a path of purpose, working to make schools safer so no other family has to endure the same tragedy.
Ryan has become one of the nation’s leading voices on practical, effective school safety policy. He is also the co-founder of the The WalkUp Foundation, which promotes student awareness and reporting to prevent violence before it happens.
Ryan breaks down the three pillars of school safety: Detect, Deter, and Defend.
We discuss:
- Why 93% of school attackers share their plans with someone beforehand
- The critical importance of students and parents speaking up: “See something, say something.”
- How Florida’s threat assessment teams work and why they meet regularly in every school district
- The importance of single points of entry, locked doors, and knowing who is on campus
- Why an armed presence on campus and well-trained guardians are deterrents and can stop attacks before more lives are lost
- And the lessons Ryan learned from his own children about what was happening inside schools
Ryan’s message is both sobering and hopeful: preventing violence is possible when communities, schools, parents, and students are willing to pay attention and act.