It is difficult to understand the reasoning of anti-gunners who are so dead set against the Second Amendment that they oppose teaching gun safety, but this phenomenon emerged in Utah.
On Friday, the state House overwhelmingly passed a measure to instruct young people on weapons safety, and the bill now advances to the Senate. The bill sailed through with an affirmative 59-10 vote.
There, however, is mounting opposition to this fundamental instruction for Utah’s youth.
All public school students would be taught safe storage concepts with three different lessons from kindergarten to sixth grade.
More importantly, children would be instructed on how to react when encountering a firearm. While this should be common knowledge in households where weapons are used for hunting, sport shooting, and/or self-defense, not all children grow up in such circumstances.
Some have no instructions on dealing with a gun that has been found, which should be corrected.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Rex Shipp (R), told reporters that the measure is simply aimed at preventing tragic accidental shootings in the state.
“A lot of times when they don’t have any firearms in their homes or don’t do any hunting and shooting, then these kids are not taught what to do when they come in contact with a firearm,” Shipp explained.
Thus, it is imperative that they receive age-appropriate lessons on how to react when an irresponsible adult leaves a weapon around.
Not so, according to some gun rights opponents.
Most agree that this information is needed and even mandatory for adults, but some balked at providing Utah’s youth with this priceless instruction.
Barbara Gentry is a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. She disputed the need to provide training for school children.
“Guns and gun safety are the responsibility of the adult gun owner, not school children,” she claimed. “We support schools sending home materials to parents outlining the importance of safe storage in keeping our families and schools safe from gun violence.”
That’s all well and good, but not every child receives this information.
Besides, state law already places the onus on parents or guardians to safely store firearms away from minors. And in the instance of irresponsible adults, and there are many, is not an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure?
The National Rifle Association’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program teaches young children that they should always follow simple rules when encountering a firearm: “Stop, don’t touch, run away, tell a grown-up.”
Indeed, this warning should be given in public schools.
Utah law already allows gun safety lessons to be taught to school kids, but the instruction is not mandatory. Shipp explained that this vital information is not reaching young minds, and the current proposal would ensure the youth get the message.
Tennessee already mandates gun safety instruction in public schools, though the Volunteer State leaves the decision on when to provide this vital information in local systems.
Students there, starting in the fall term, will receive annual instruction. No live fire is used.
It was just a year ago when Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a measure into law supporting tactical training for teachers who volunteer to be their students’ first line of defense. This passed despite opposition from anti-gunners who warned that children could get their hands on their teachers’ weapons.
Those who value scoring political points over genuine school safety vehemently opposed that stance, and the same factions line up against providing valuable weapon safety skills to students.
Keeping children ignorant of gun safety is wrong and illogical. It is also the surest way to roll the dice on a tragic accident that age-appropriate instruction could have easily prevented.
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