There has been a surge in the cases of school shootings in recent times. The increases in school shooting cases have attracted attention of international media regarding how the incidences could be brought to an end. Such has led to a huge debate on the proposed precautions to help the community overcome the cases. Deaths related to gun violence have increased at an alarming rate. Lack of proper gun control laws is one of the factors deemed to escalate gun violence. Increase in school shootings has led to concerns about gun access by socially unfit citizens and culprits. Schools especially, are an ideal target of gun violence mainly because of the general public and ethnic composition. There are proposals on strong gun law polices which have not been implemented as expected. To that matter, there is a growing proposition that schools should teach in the school about firearm safety. Students are at significant risk of firearm related violence in the community. However, a significant portion of the community has a firm belief that schools are not an appropriate place for teaching students about gun policy. It is argued that schools should focus on academics. I have a strong belief that a proper approach to teaching gun safety at schools may help mitigate the cases of mass shooting at the institutions and possibly minimize the number of casualties emanating from the shootings.
We are living at a time when most adults in the community are gun owners. Children live with parents who may have different approaches to gun safety. It is typical that kids spend most of their time in homes in which the parents are gun owners. Avoiding the topic of gun safety at the learning institutions would not help change the current predicament’s in the society. Experts in security point out that failure to discuss the topic with children may lead to more casualties in the cases of gun shooting in public places and in schools (Adkins 23). The talk should prepare the kids for what they should do if they encounter a gun. Such an approach would ensure that kids react proactively to cases of shooting. It would also ensure that kids take the necessary steps to avoid fatalities in the cases where they gain access to guns. In the instances where the kids learn on how to properly use a gun, it is likely that such an approach could save many lives which in the recent times have been linked to accidental shooting among kids whenever they gain access to firearms. Such would only be possible in the community if the policy developers allow for lessons in gun safety in the curriculum.
A quick check on the reality of firearm use in the community makes it apparent that it is essential for policy developers to consider educating kids on firearm safety in schools. The evolution of technology in the community has led to more advanced weapons. Kids are being exposed to violent television programs that promote the use of firearms in the community. The reality is that access to firearms is increasingly becoming easy. Firearms may not get extinct in the community any time soon. Rather, more people are gaining access to firearms. Denying kids an opportunity to learn about gun safety would be a contravention of what is expected of curriculum developers who ought to take not of the trends in the community (Hirsh 81). Denying the kids opportunity to earn about firearm safety would deny them the necessary preparation for them to be competent with the changing times in the community and the evolution in the nature of risks facing the kids in their daily activities. There would be no harm in preparing the kids on gun safety. The extend of risks that kids would be exposed without having adequate information on the gun safety would possibly over weigh the perceived dangers of engaging the kids on firearm safety through the school’s curriculum. Such affirms that it would be a prudent move by schools to educate children on firearm safety in the community.
An effective approach of responding to criticism on why lessons on gun safety should not be introduced in the learning curriculum would entail analyzing the effectiveness of education programs. Various case studies on the subject matter in the community have been explored. Notably, the National Rifle Association offered support to the Eddie Eagle program. The programs required that in the cases where kids spotted a gun, they should stop, and leave the area. The kids should then an adult on their encounters. The kids learn that guns are best if left alone. They should avoid handling the firearms unless they are under the supervision of an adult within their vicinity. However, warning the kids on leaving guns alone would not be adequate. Such an approach would only be fit in the cases where the kids accidently get access to firearms. The best approach would require that guns are strictly kept out of reach for children (Ratliff 25). Such an approach in combination with the Eddie Eagle program would help mitigate the cases of firearm accidents in the community that involve kids. It is thus apparent that kids should be offered the privilege to learn firearm safety.
The approach to teach how to minimize violence whenever in possession of a firearm may be vital. The approach required educators to have a straight talk about risks. Notably, the approach would be ideal for K-12 school children where they may learn on anger management, conflict management, and the ideal approaches towards conflict resolution in the community. The kids would be informed of the damaging effect of using a firearm to resolve a conflict. The approach would help the kids to grow with the right conflict resolution skills. In the cases where they end up as gun owners in the community, the approach would ensure they are responsible gun owners. They would avoid using the use of firearms while under the influence of anger as it may lead them to do things that they may end up regretting (Shah). Training kids at an early age on conflict management and ideal approaches to firearm safety would enhance the likelihood of them being responsible gun owners in the community.
Teaching kids on firearm safety in most of the cases would require the use of firearms for the purpose of demonstration. Such an approach would reduce the limits placed on the accessibility of firearms in the community. It is common that the more mysterious and off-limits are placed on a gun, the kids will be tempted to access the firearms. Such an approach may result in a higher number of casualties if the firearms are misused by the kids. Such curiosity regarding the use of firearms in the community may be avoided by educating the kids while young on gun safety. Such an approach would promote familiarity with the firearms and their potential damage that could emanate from the misuse of the firearms (Skiba 25). It is thus vital to ensure that kids gain an insight into firearm safety while at a tender age.
An approach by curriculum developers to let the children rely on the parents and the internet for lessons on firearm safety may be inadequate. There is no guarantee that parents would take an active role in educating their kids on firearm safety. It is vital to ensure that kids are exposed to the same knowledge on gun safety. Such would minimize the risks where parents are expected to play the role or educating the children on gun safety. Gaps in educating kids on firearm safety may not promote equitable to vital knowledge that may have a bearing on gun safety in the community. Letting the kids learn about gun safety at a later age would not help in minimizing the incidences of shooting in institutions. In any case, failure to educate the kids would likely result in more casualties in the incidences of a school shooting. It is thus no doubt that teaching school children on gun safety would be a timely and prudent move in line with the nature of challenges facing the community.
An approach to teaching kids about firearm safety in school would ensure that the government is involved in the learning process of kids in the community. It is essential for the curriculum developers to ensure that kids in higher grades and middle school are taught conflict management and peaceful means that would promote the safety of all people in the community. The involvement of the government in the learning process would ensure that kids access the right information regarding firearms safety in the community. It is no doubt that at some time, the current crop of kids in the community may encounter with firearms later in their lives. It is common that there are several myths and misconceptions that surround the use of firearms in the community (Yıldız and Sümer 26). However, in the cases where the kids are taught on firearms safety in school would enable them to dispel any myths and misconceptions regarding the use of firearms in the community. Such would promote the safety of all people in the community as result of the prudent use of firearms.
It is the always the desire of every member of the community to be in control of firearms that they utilize. It is common knowledge that knowledge is power. Engaging the kids in the do’s and don’ts associated with the use of firearms in the community would be feasible if the curriculum introduces compulsory lessons on firearm safety for all kids in the community. Acquisition of proven knowledge by the kids would equip them to handle firearms in a responsible way. It will also be possible for the kids to explore the various techniques that would enhance their safety in the cases of mass shooting (Ortega 28). Such benefits affirm that the curriculum should make it mandatory for kids to have lessons on firearm safety as part of their curriculum.
It is apparent that different guns operate differently. The nature in which a pistol is handled is relatively different from how a riffle should be handled. Such lessons in minimizing accidents that result from poor handling of guns in the community. An understating of the general safety rules should be accompanied on basic lessons on the ideal handling of firearms and the basic principles on their operation. Such an approach would ensure that the future citizens are well informed in the operations of guns (Obeng 16). It will further promote safe and responsible use of guns in the community. It would thus be possible for the kids to effectively handle a wide range of firearms in the future as need arises. Such a dream would only be attained in the case where kids are introduced to lessons on gun safety at an early age.
The number of people who have access to guns in the community makes it necessary for the government to introduce mandatory lessons on gun safety among the school going children. The data on gun ownership in the community point that there is a significant increase in the number of guns in the community. The illegal ownership of guns in the community has also been on the steady rise in the community. Such a case makes it clear that without proper lessons on firearm safety, the safety of kids and the community in general may be at risk. The current trends on cases of school and mass shooting such affirm that the security risks facing kids and the general public are increasing. It calls for urgent measures that would enable the community to overcome the raising risk of insecurity in the community. In the cases where incidences of school shooting become more rampant in the future, it may be necessary to offer adequate training on the possible approaches in handling such situation (Kenny, Bennett, Dougery, and Steele 43). Such would only be a success if the kids are introduced to gun safety at an early age. Such would ensure that the kids can respond adequately to cases of school shooting or public shooting in the community. Such would possibly minimize the casualties in the cases of public or school shooting.
There is a rise in the number of accidents from the use of firearms in the community. Commonly, the stance and posture of an individual whenever handling a firearm have a significant bearing on their safety. It is common that a high number of people who own guns in the community may not be aware of the tricks and nuances associated with handling a particular weapon. It is thus common that accidents from errors in the handling of weapon are on an increase (Houvouras and Harvey 22). Such may be avoided using an approach where kids are introduced to firearm safety at an early age. Introduction of lessons on fire arms safety may not be an option but a necessity for the community to handle the challenges associated with use of firearms in the community.
There has been an increase in the incidences of mass shooting in the community. It is apparent that the risks associate with the use of firearms in the community call for urgent action to rectify the mess that stems from the use of firearms in the community. A feasible solution would entail the teaching firearm safety to school going kids. Such would increase awareness on the proper use of firearms. It would also be possible for the kids to learn alternative conflict resolution mechanism. Such an approach would enable the community to mitigate the risks associated with an increase in the use of firearms in the community.
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