Do you think gun safety should be taught in schools?

[DopeyDame]

Teachers do NOT get paid enough for this crap. Being a teacher is like missions work anymore...

Huh? How is teaching kids how to safely respond when they see a gun (which they very well may do in any number of legal scenarios) 'missions work' and 'crap'?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I do think this could be a worthwhile 30 minute activity in school once a year, maybe done by police officers with the dare program.

I like this idea

 

[MrsPete]

You have to pay for driver's ed in school?

Our high school offers it just like any other elective. You don't have to take it but you don't have to pay for it if you do.

Yes, it's a new fee. Also, we have a new rule that says you can only take the class once. We have a backlog of students who want to take the class, and they'd start . . . Miss two days, which means they cannot pass, and then just quit . . . But sign up again later. It was taking up seats and keeping other kids from getting in.

 

[RitaE]

No, I'd like to see schools return to the concept of solid academic education and I'd like to see parents actually fulfill their obligations to teach their children all the "life skills" agenda stuff that is continuously getting pushed onto the schools because parents suck.

 

[mckelvey72]

I think it is a good idea. We don' t have handguns in our home but we do have toy guns to play cops and robbers. We have a friend who is a cop and we asked him to teach my 6 year old the difference between the toy and the real gun. Weight is a major factor. My son knows to stay away from guns but if he ever picked up a hand gun thinking it was a play gun, he now knows how heavy a real one actually is compared to his play one. So was a good lesson for him to learn.

I wouldn't be opposed to having a class like this in school. My son knows a hunting rifle as we have family members who hunt but I don't think he would have thought twice to pick up a hand gun and think it is fake.

 

[tvguy]

I have no problem with it. My FIL was a big target shooter, and both my kids spent time on the range learning gun safety. Both are adults now and have never handled a gun since.

Actually, they learned to shoot in Texas, and the range they went shooting at has no earthen berms, or enclosed buildings. Just a grove of trees at the end of the range. My son asked the owner about it, and he said "the closest house is a half mile away, so it's never been an issue"

 

[WDSearcher]

No, I'd like to see schools return to the concept of solid academic education and I'd like to see parents actually fulfill their obligations to teach their children all the "life skills" agenda stuff that is continuously getting pushed onto the schools because parents suck.

I'd like to see that too, but wishing it won't make it happen.

Not to mention that in some communities, gun safety doesn't even show up on the radar until there's an "incident". Lots of engaged and responsible parents don't think about gun safety as a "life skill".

I'd rather have 30 min twice a year in school where someone comes in to remind kids -- at ALL grade levels -- about gun safety than to have even one child killed because they accidentally picked up a gun.

 

[Domo]

Totally for it. Kids need to learn that firearms are deadly items to be treated with absolute respect.

 

[TinkerBelled]

I'm not a huge gun-in-the-house fan, but I have no problem with teaching kids not to touch guns. I agree that doing it with the police department is better than doing it through a private program. I think it could be part of a bigger assembly sort of thing with the police department that encompasses the kinds of safety things kids need to know.

It could be a bit like the stop-drop-and-roll drills with the local firefighters that we used to have once a year in school, which we all loved and which stuck with me.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

As long as it is not a pro-gun advocacy charade, but rather a "don't touch, don't play, always assume it's loaded, find an adult" class, I think it makes a lot of sense.

 

[sbtrfly74]

I think this would work well with the DARE program and police officers teaching it. Im sorry if schools have dropped that program due to ineffectiveness, my DD tells me all the time that smoking is a drug and im killing her by making her lungs black... so yeah at a young age its effective.

I hate that they have taken drivers ed away from schools, but at the same time I took drivers ed in school and didnt get to drive more than 5 mins. Times have changes and teenagers still cant drive. Now its a mandatory $350 class here and 60hrs of driving that most parents where I live fudge the books.

I fudged my DD's book somewhat but she drove for 2.5 years to and from school and work so I was more than fine that she had her 60hrs.

Back to topic, I refuse to have guns in my home now. My ex was an avid hunter and I dont remember what he did before he had a locked gun cabinet but he had guns. Its horrible that someone leaves a gun loaded and open for a child to find it and "pretend to be daddy" or whatever. Id be fine if something was taught in school to say if you see a gun, run and tell an adult. What if my youngest child who's never seen a gun was at a friends house and found one?

 

[mikehn]

I dont believe this is a core academic curriculum that should be publicly funded and taught in public schools. In Maryland, hunter safety courses (which includes gun safety) is administered by the state, but it is funded through revenue from hunting licenses, not taxes on the general public.

 

[minnie mum]

I'd like to see that too, but wishing it won't make it happen.

Not to mention that in some communities, gun safety doesn't even show up on the radar until there's an "incident". Lots of engaged and responsible parents don't think about gun safety as a "life skill".

I'd rather have 30 min twice a year in school where someone comes in to remind kids -- at ALL grade levels -- about gun safety than to have even one child killed because they accidentally picked up a gun.

The fact that these classes are even necessary in the first place makes me shudder and thank my stars that I live where I do.

But since it is necessary, I agree with you. Seems like a tiny price to pay in exchange for saving the life of a child. Now if they could just teach the adults to lock up their guns in the first place....

 

[Gumbo4x4]

The fact that these classes are even necessary in the first place makes me shudder and thank my stars that I live where I do.

People in your shoes with your perception probably need the class more than the rest

 

[minnie mum]

People in your shoes with your perception probably need the class more than the rest

I'm sorry, I don't understand your comment. Could you explain, please?

 

[erin1715]

Huh? How is teaching kids how to safely respond when they see a gun (which they very well may do in any number of legal scenarios) 'missions work' and 'crap'?

I believe what people are talking about in this thread is to teach students how to handle a gun...not simply how to respond if they happen to see one. So now all teachers have to be educated themselves on how to handle a gun even if they don't want to.

I referred to teaching in general becoming missionary work these days.

 

[RitaE]

I'm sorry, I don't understand your comment. Could you explain, please?

I think people are perhaps wondering why it is that where you live is so superior to make you thankful? Canada?

 

[erin1715]

No, I'd like to see schools return to the concept of solid academic education and I'd like to see parents actually fulfill their obligations to teach their children all the "life skills" agenda stuff that is continuously getting pushed onto the schools because parents suck.

 

[minnie mum]

I think people are perhaps wondering why it is that where you live is so superior to make you thankful? Canada?

Superior, no. Different, yes. Canada, yes. As you may know, our gun control laws are somewhat more strict. Incidents of children killing each other when they play with loaded guns are quite rare.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Superior, no. Different, yes. Canada, yes. As you may know, our gun control laws are somewhat more strict. Incidents of children killing each other when they play with loaded guns are quite rare.

It's your assumption that your child won't come into contact with guns that makes your child a risk. Mine probably won't come across an unsecured gun, but i make the assumption they might and teach them accordingly. That was my earlier point.