VA: Firearm Safety in Schools.............

[hammAR]

http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/91760899.html

Firearm Safety Program Coming to Virginia Elementary Schools
Reporter: Michael Hyland

n addition to budget issues, Virginia lawmakers are looking at changes to various bills during Wednesday's one-day session, including a bill that brings gun safety programs to elementary schools.

One of the bills calls for the Virginia Board of Education to "establish a standardized program of firearm safety education for students in the elementary school grades to promote the protection and safety of children."

Once the program is created and made available, it will be up to individual school divisions to determine if they want to incorporate it into their classrooms.

Some Valley parents have concerns about the idea.

"It's not the wisest thing because, for instance, [my daughter]. She doesn't know what a gun is. But, if she sees gun safety, then now she's curious about it," says Nery Washington, who lives in Harrisonburg.

Dennis Golden runs a gun store in the Friendly City called Ashby Arms.

Safety is something he says he's already stressing with his stepchildren. He supports taking the message of gun safety into schools.

"Even if they're not around them in their own home, they could come in contact with firearms in other people's homes," says Golden.

The legislature voted overwhelmingly in favor of this move.

According to the text of the bill, lawmakers require "that the program objectives incorporate, among other principles of firearm safety, accident prevention and the rules of the National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program."

"Nothing about this program should make children curious about firearms, and we don't encourage children to own a gun. So, as to any of those kind of fears, I would say they're totally unwarranted," says Alexa Fritts, a spokeswoman for the NRA.

The NRA program teaches kids if they see a gun, not to touch it, leave the area and to tell an adult about it.

"For something that [my daughter] doesn't know, you're actually opening it out there for her to be curious about it. And so, now she is going to look for the gun," says Washington.

"Video games and television are going to have more of an effect on children and wanting to see and be around firearms than a safety class," says Golden.

A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Education says employees haven't started putting the program together yet since lawmakers were still debating language of the bill Wednesday. The spokesperson says it's unlikely the board will have a program approved in time for next school year.

[1911fan]

I have always thought that the DNR firearms safety course should be mandatory for middle schoolers here just like sex ed and basic finances are.

[nyffman]

I have always thought that the DNR firearms safety course should be mandatory for middle schoolers here just like sex ed and basic finances are.

Exactly. It would be interesting to here this guy's take on the sex ed that his daughter is already getting.

"It's not the wisest thing because, for instance, [my daughter]. She doesn't know what a gun is. But, if she sees gun safety, then now she's curious about it," says Nery Washington, who lives in Harrisonburg.

[gunshop guy]

"It's not the wisest thing because, for instance, [my daughter]. She doesn't know what a gun is. But, if she sees gun safety, then now she's curious about it," says Nery Washington, who lives in Harrisonburg.

This is the dumbest thing I have heard in a while. I can't understand the mentality that ignorance is the answer.

[hammAR]

This is the dumbest thing I have heard in a while. I can't understand the mentality that ignorance is the answer.

It's easy, just look at some of the statements/answers around here............

[Stradawhovious]

"For something that [my daughter] doesn't know, you're actually opening it out there for her to be curious about it. And so, now she is going to look for the gun," says Washington.

Dear **** dumbass........

What happens when your daughter runs across a gun in the park, near the school, in a friends home, etc. and doesn't know what it is? Don't you think that she might be the least bit curious then?

What do you think the best outcome could be in that case?

Your method... Daughter sees gun..... Daughter doesn't know what gun is, so she picks it up. In the process of investigating her new found curiosity with this object she knows nothing about, she happens upon the trigger....... BANG!! Best case scenario she scares the hell out of herself and causes property damage. Worst case you never get to attend your daughter's wedding, or your daughter never sees her friend again because someone became a statistic.

With proper firearms safety education.... Daughter sees gun, Daughter Stops, Daughter leaves the area, Daughter tells an adult. Best case scenario, police show up and secure the firearm. Worst case scenario, Daughter's friend's negligent parent is very embarassed, properly stores gun and learns a very important lesson.... the easy way.

I apologize if my statement/answer is "dumb/ignorant" but it is what it is.

[Paul]

If you want to make a difference, and save a life, send me a PM. I will gladly accept all donations.

[macphisto]

That Nery Washington may be on to something. I remember how curious I got about anal warts after a slideshow in ninth grade health class.

[justaguy]

This is the dumbest thing I have heard in a while. I can't understand the mentality that ignorance is the answer.

It's easy, just look at some of the statements/answers around here............

You beat me to it....

[nyffman]

No, this is the dumbest thing you're likely to hear, for a while. This is one of the comments to the article.

Posted by: The Gundertaker Location: Sanityville on May 3, 2010 at 06:29 PM

What the kids should be taught in school is that all firearms are dangerous for everyone in the community. Safe communities ban firearms ownership. When our children wanted to play with other children, we checked with the parents to make sure that the family did not own guns of any sort, nor did they belong to terrorist groups such as the NRA. They are adults now, and they are following in our footsteps. They are scrutinizing the friends of their children for this. Fortunately, my wife and I live in a community that zealously enforces gun control laws. And our crime rate is virtually zero. It is too bad that the VA legislature is kowtowing to the alcoholic gun nut segment of the population. I wonder how they sleep at night...

[tweener]

I have always thought that the DNR firearms safety course should be mandatory for middle schoolers here just like sex ed and basic finances are.

They teach basic finances? I think they droped that class and added "Capitalism is bad, Socialism is good - 101" about 15 years ago.

[Holland&Holland]

I have always thought that the DNR firearms safety course should be mandatory for middle schoolers here just like sex ed and basic finances are.

+100,000, though as the DNR course is typically taken at 11 I am thinking 5th grade would be the right place for it, that would reserve class time in middle school for range time!!! Might actually get my 14 year old to want to go to school.