Gun Education in Public Schools
Danny Westneat: Last week, when I wrote that we are so awash in guns we may as well
teach gun safety in the schools, people across the political spectrum
had fainting spells.
We are now one of the most heavily armed states (according to gun-permit counts). Some object to gun classes on the grounds they only endorse this arms race.
McAuliffe has introduced a resolution for the state to promote the use of the National Rifle Association's Gun Safety Program in schools. She co-sponsored it with some gun-rights conservatives, such as Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn. (It was introduced near the end of the last legislative session and won't be up for a vote until next year.)
The basic premise is on gun safety, not how to shoot. The NRA's course for the littlest kids, in elementary schools, doesn't include actual guns. It teaches them what to do if they're ever around a gun (stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult).
Me: Or have parent education on what to tell their kids. Send a sheet home to parents and kids - the state can easily do that.
McAuliffe's example about NOT telling her kids anything and then they went to a friend's house where there was a gun?
When my kids were small, I always asked the parents of their friends, "Are there guns in your home?" Hard discussion but a better one than, "How did this happen?"
I taught my kids to walk away and get an adult. Not an already-overburdened teacher.
Charlie; Guns are here. The bad information is all over the media. Children should know what to do.
What they should know is stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult. They don't need to know any more than that.
It doesn't even require having an actual gun for the lesson.
I don't own a gun - and wouldn't care to. That said, I can't see why anyone would object to having their child, and all of their child's schoolmates, get this lesson: stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult.
You?
We are now one of the most heavily armed states (according to gun-permit counts). Some object to gun classes on the grounds they only endorse this arms race.
McAuliffe has introduced a resolution for the state to promote the use of the National Rifle Association's Gun Safety Program in schools. She co-sponsored it with some gun-rights conservatives, such as Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn. (It was introduced near the end of the last legislative session and won't be up for a vote until next year.)
The basic premise is on gun safety, not how to shoot. The NRA's course for the littlest kids, in elementary schools, doesn't include actual guns. It teaches them what to do if they're ever around a gun (stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult).
Me: Or have parent education on what to tell their kids. Send a sheet home to parents and kids - the state can easily do that.
McAuliffe's example about NOT telling her kids anything and then they went to a friend's house where there was a gun?
When my kids were small, I always asked the parents of their friends, "Are there guns in your home?" Hard discussion but a better one than, "How did this happen?"
I taught my kids to walk away and get an adult. Not an already-overburdened teacher.
Charlie; Guns are here. The bad information is all over the media. Children should know what to do.
What they should know is stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult. They don't need to know any more than that.
It doesn't even require having an actual gun for the lesson.
I don't own a gun - and wouldn't care to. That said, I can't see why anyone would object to having their child, and all of their child's schoolmates, get this lesson: stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult.
You?
Comments
As always, the schools probably shouldn't have to do things like this, but that's the way it is.
I think it's a good idea.
On yesterday's GiveBIG thread, people were hesitant to donate because the event is organized by the Seattle Foundation, but I'm thrilled that my donation will be matched today, giving more money to an organization with a mission that I'm passionate about.
Anyway.... I do not like the idea of the NRA developing materials to use in schools. I just don't trust them. The NRA tried in Florida to pass a law to prevent pediatricians from asking people whether they own a gun or not as part of a well-child check up visit. Seriously. They are NOT interested in keeping kids safe from guns. They fight every evidence-based, public health measure that legislators propose to try to keep kids safe from guns. Even here in Washington state, the NRA opposes stricter penalties for adults whose guns are used by children and cause harm.
I'm sure I'll have more to say as the day goes on because gun safety is a hot button issue for me. But for now, my bottom line is that I do not trust or want the NRA involved in schools at all.
I don't own a gun and don't plan to. But we don't need the NRA to tell kids not to play with guns and if they find one call an adult.
I would suggest letting Senator McAuliffe know that you might support gun education but not coming from the NRA.
Good point.
This is going to be interesting...
The NRA has developed the safety programs for almost all non-military organizations using firearms in the country. Most police departments, other government agencies, gun clubs, etc., use NRA based safety programs.
I can't change your beliefs, but I can make you aware of the facts.
Signed,
NRA Life Member
I did a quick literature search and found two studies that specifically evaluated the efficacy of the NRA's program. Although kids could "talk the talk" they couldn't "walk the walk" after completing the Eddie Eagle training. If left in a room with a (toy) gun, the trained kids still picked it up, and some did not leave the room or alert an adult, even though that's what they'd been told to do.
Apparently, effective gun safety programs for young kids require a behavioral component that the NRA's program lacks. Given that the Eddie Eagle program also costs money (the NRA charges a "nominal fee" according to their website), I don't see why we'd want to use it in our district.
Ultimately, the best thing we can adults can do to keep kids safe from guns is limit their access to them. We can put them thru the NRA's safety program and buy ourselves some false hope that they'll react appropriately if ever confronted with a weapon. But, at the end of the day, the biggest problem is access. And the NRA fights any attempt to limit access to guns, even common-sense ideas like CAP laws that hold adults responsible when a child uses the adult's weapon and hurts or kills someone.
(http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/114/3/e294.full.pdf+html
and
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/1/70.full.pdf+html)
You raise good points about the efficacy of the Eddie Eagle program. Unfortunately, attempts to modify children's behavior aren't as effective as we'd like. Should we also stop sex and drug education? We've been doing that for more than a few years and kids still have unprotected sex and do drugs.
I'd argue that the Eddie Eagle program and current sex and drug education programs are similar - they produce incremental benefits but not absolute perfection.
NRA Life Member
parent
The Eddie Eagle studies look at 4-5 and 6-7 years olds. I don't know at what age we do drug education in SPS, and I sure hope sex education is for kids older than these!
I can see where you're going with the analogy, but I'm not sure it's apt. There will likely be differences by age in impulse control, cognition, etc. that affect program effectiveness.