Latest news with #RexShipp
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will gun safety instruction be required in Utah's K-12 classrooms?
Like many Utahns, Rep. Rex Shipp has lamented recent news accounts of gun accidents taking the lives of local children. Now Shipp is hoping his bill requiring that firearm safety instruction be taught in Utah's public schools will help prevent such tragedies from ever occurring. House Bill 104 would mandates that gun safety be regularly taught to the state's K-12 students. The proposed classroom firearm safety sessions would be brief — 5-10 minutes in length — and typically involve students watching an approved instructional video. As outlined in the bill, schools would be required to provide brief firearm safety courses three times during a student's primary school years, including kindergarten. Middle school students would then be required to participate in similar courses during their junior high years — and once during high school. Parents would be alerted to upcoming firearm safety courses and also allowed to 'opt-out' their child. In his presentation Wednesday to the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Standing Committee, Shipp, R-Cedar City, said providing firearm safety instruction in public schools already exists in state code. 'But it's an optional thing — and nobody's teaching it,' he said. It's essential that Utah's children know the basics of firearm safety, argued Shipp. Polls show there are guns in about half of the state's households. 'And even if kids may not have firearms in their own home, they're going to go to a friend's house and (maybe) they're going to come in contact (with a gun),' he said. HB104 would educate them with the know-how to manage such situations — and stay safe if they come across a firearm or see someone else playing with a gun. The proposed school firearms safety courses, Shipp added, would be 'developmentally appropriate and, in most cases, it's just going to be a 5-minute video that basically teaches (children) that if they see a firearm, don't touch it and tell a trusted adult.' Instruction would also include 'the best practices and guidelines for the safe handling and storage of a firearm to prevent accidents and ensure personal safety.' Shipp emphasized his bill is anchored to protecting children. 'This is about safety — It's politically neutral,' he said. 'It's not anti-gun. It's not pro-gun.' If ratified, HB104 would allow schools to decide to show an instructional video or provide live instruction — and it could be incorporated into health and physical education curricula. The bill notes that if any instruction were to include an actual firearm, the instructor must be someone who is legally allowed to possess and handle firearms on school premises such as a school resource officer, under Utah law. Wednesday, Shipp's school firearms safety instruction bill ultimately received committee-approval to advance to the Senate floor, but not before some pushback. Senator Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake, called it ironic 'that we're not able to teach comprehensive sex education and things like that in school — while we're going to mandate a curriculum like this.' Blouin added that firearm safety is 'a gun access issue' that perhaps demands parental education. A statewide rule requiring public schools to provide the proposed firearm safety instruction 'is completely inappropriate.' During public comment, Nika Alder, a board member of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah said the burden of firearm safety should be placed on adults that own firearms, rather than grade-school children. 'Let's pass bills that require adults to act responsibly — not ones that require children to act responsibly and permit adult gun owners to act irresponsibly,' she said. Clark Aposhian of the Utah Shooting Sports Council said his organization supports HB104. 'The only reason that we ought to do this is if we care about our kids, because education in this type of thing is always better than ignorance,' he said. 'The (school firearm safety instruction) is going to cover things like, say, a child finding a firearm at home or at a friend's home or out on the street — or even what to do if they find out that their friend has a gun in their backpack at school.' Shipp said he 'wholeheartedly agrees' that adults should shoulder the burden of firearm safety. But if brief firearms safety instruction offered a few times during a Utah child's school years saves lives, 'I think it's well worth it.'
Politico
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Kindergarteners could learn gun safety in school under a bill gaining momentum in Utah
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah students in as early as kindergarten would be required to learn about firearm safety in the classroom under a bill that passed the state House with overwhelming support Friday. The Republican-controlled chamber approved the measure in a 59-10 vote and sent it to the Senate, despite concerns from some gun violence prevention advocates that it places an undue burden on children. Under the proposal, public school students would receive mandatory instruction throughout their K-12 years on how to respond if they encounter a gun. The lessons, which could be presented in a video or by an instructor displaying an actual firearm, would demonstrate best practices for safely handling and storing a gun to prevent accidents. Elementary age children would learn about gun safety on at least three occasions by the time they reach sixth grade, with the possibility for that instruction to begin in kindergarten, when kids are around five years old. The bill's Republican sponsor, Rep. Rex Shipp of Cedar City, said it's aimed at preventing accidental shootings by and of young children. The lessons, he said, will be age-appropriate for each grade level, with younger students learning to avoid touching a gun and alert an adult immediately. '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 said. One other state, Tennessee, has a law on the books requiring firearm safety training in public schools, but it lets education officials determine in which grade they think it's appropriate for students to start receiving that instruction. The lessons, set to begin next school year, will be annual and cannot include live firearms or ammunition. A Utah statute already allows firearm safety to be taught in schools, but Shipp said teachers don't currently do so. His bill makes it mandatory but allows parents to opt their kids out of the instruction. If it passes the similarly Republican-led Senate and is signed into law, the lessons would begin next school year. The effort comes a year after Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill funding tactical training for teachers who want to defend their classrooms with guns. Republican sponsors said it was aimed at incentivizing teachers to carry firearms in schools to protect students. Opponents worried it would increase the likelihood that a student could gain access to a gun. Gun violence prevention advocates have applauded Utah Republicans this year for growing gun safety education programs, but some argue those lessons should only be aimed at adults. The proposal unfairly places the responsibility of gun safety on children rather than their parents, said Barbara Gentry of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. 'Guns and gun safety are the responsibility of the adult gun owner, not school children,' Gentry said. 'We support schools sending home materials to parents outlining the importance of safe storage in keeping our families and schools safe from gun violence.' Jaden Christensen, a volunteer with the Utah chapter of Moms Demand Action, said lawmakers should instead look to grow programs that teach parents the importance of keeping firearms away from children. 'The burden should always be on adults,' Christensen said.
The Independent
15-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Kindergarteners could learn gun safety in school under a bill gaining momentum in Utah
Utah students in as early as kindergarten would be required to learn about firearm safety in the classroom under a bill that passed the state House with overwhelming support Friday. The Republican-controlled chamber approved the measure in a 59-10 vote and sent it to the Senate, despite concerns from some gun violence prevention advocates that it places an unnecessary burden on children. Under the proposal, public school students would receive mandatory instruction throughout their K-12 years on how to respond if they encounter a gun. The lessons, which could be presented in a video or by an instructor displaying an actual firearm, would demonstrate best practices for safely handling and storing a gun to prevent accidents. Elementary age children would learn about gun safety on at least three occasions by the time they reach sixth grade, with the possibility for that instruction to begin in kindergarten, when kids are around five years old. The bill's Republican sponsor, Rep. Rex Shipp of Cedar City, said it's aimed at preventing accidental shootings by and of young children. The lessons, he said, will be age-appropriate for each grade level, with younger students learning to avoid touching a gun and alert an adult immediately. '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 said. One other state, Tennessee, has a law on the books requiring firearm safety training in public schools, but it lets education officials determine in which grade they think it's appropriate for students to start receiving that instruction. The lessons, set to begin next school year, will be annual and cannot include live firearms or ammunition. A Utah statute already allows firearm safety to be taught in schools, but Shipp said teachers don't currently do so. His bill makes it mandatory but allows parents to opt their kids out of the instruction. If it passes the similarly Republican-led Senate and is signed into law, the lessons would begin next school year. Gun violence prevention advocates have applauded Utah Republicans for pushing for more gun safety education, but some argue those lessons should be aimed at adults. The proposal unfairly places the responsibility of gun safety on children rather than their parents, said Barbara Gentry of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. 'Guns and gun safety are the responsibility of the adult gun owner, not school children," Gentry said. "We support schools sending home materials to parents outlining the importance of safe storage in keeping our families and schools safe from gun violence." Jaden Christensen, a volunteer with the Utah chapter of Moms Demand Action, said lawmakers should instead look to grow programs that teach parents the importance of keeping firearms away from children. 'The burden should always be on adults,' Christensen said.
Associated Press
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Kindergarteners could learn gun safety in school under a bill gaining momentum in Utah
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah students in as early as kindergarten would be required to learn about firearm safety in the classroom under a bill that passed the state House with overwhelming support Friday. The Republican-controlled chamber approved the measure in a 59-10 vote and sent it to the Senate, despite concerns from some gun violence prevention advocates that it places an unnecessary burden on children. Under the proposal, public school students would receive mandatory instruction throughout their K-12 years on how to respond if they encounter a gun. The lessons, which could be presented in a video or by an instructor displaying an actual firearm, would demonstrate best practices for safely handling and storing a gun to prevent accidents. Elementary age children would learn about gun safety on at least three occasions by the time they reach sixth grade, with the possibility for that instruction to begin in kindergarten, when kids are around five years old. The bill's Republican sponsor, Rep. Rex Shipp of Cedar City, said it's aimed at preventing accidental shootings by and of young children. The lessons, he said, will be age-appropriate for each grade level, with younger students learning to avoid touching a gun and alert an adult immediately. '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 said. One other state, Tennessee, has a law on the books requiring firearm safety training in public schools, but it lets education officials determine in which grade they think it's appropriate for students to start receiving that instruction. The lessons, set to begin next school year, will be annual and cannot include live firearms or ammunition. A Utah statute already allows firearm safety to be taught in schools, but Shipp said teachers don't currently do so. His bill makes it mandatory but allows parents to opt their kids out of the instruction. If it passes the similarly Republican-led Senate and is signed into law, the lessons would begin next school year. Gun violence prevention advocates have applauded Utah Republicans for pushing for more gun safety education, but some argue those lessons should be aimed at adults. The proposal unfairly places the responsibility of gun safety on children rather than their parents, said Barbara Gentry of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. 'Guns and gun safety are the responsibility of the adult gun owner, not school children,' Gentry said. 'We support schools sending home materials to parents outlining the importance of safe storage in keeping our families and schools safe from gun violence.' Jaden Christensen, a volunteer with the Utah chapter of Moms Demand Action, said lawmakers should instead look to grow programs that teach parents the importance of keeping firearms away from children.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kindergarteners could learn gun safety in school under a bill gaining momentum in Utah
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah students in as early as kindergarten would be required to learn about firearm safety in the classroom under a bill that passed the state House with overwhelming support Friday. The Republican-controlled chamber approved the measure in a 59-10 vote and sent it to the Senate, despite concerns from some gun violence prevention advocates that it places an unnecessary burden on children. Under the proposal, public school students would receive mandatory instruction throughout their K-12 years on how to respond if they encounter a gun. The lessons, which could be presented in a video or by an instructor displaying an actual firearm, would demonstrate best practices for safely handling and storing a gun to prevent accidents. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Elementary age children would learn about gun safety on at least three occasions by the time they reach sixth grade, with the possibility for that instruction to begin in kindergarten, when kids are around five years old. The bill's Republican sponsor, Rep. Rex Shipp of Cedar City, said it's aimed at preventing accidental shootings by and of young children. The lessons, he said, will be age-appropriate for each grade level, with younger students learning to avoid touching a gun and alert an adult immediately. '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 said. One other state, Tennessee, has a law on the books requiring firearm safety training in public schools, but it lets education officials determine in which grade they think it's appropriate for students to start receiving that instruction. The lessons, set to begin next school year, will be annual and cannot include live firearms or ammunition. A Utah statute already allows firearm safety to be taught in schools, but Shipp said teachers don't currently do so. His bill makes it mandatory but allows parents to opt their kids out of the instruction. If it passes the similarly Republican-led Senate and is signed into law, the lessons would begin next school year. Gun violence prevention advocates have applauded Utah Republicans for pushing for more gun safety education, but some argue those lessons should be aimed at adults. The proposal unfairly places the responsibility of gun safety on children rather than their parents, said Barbara Gentry of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. 'Guns and gun safety are the responsibility of the adult gun owner, not school children," Gentry said. "We support schools sending home materials to parents outlining the importance of safe storage in keeping our families and schools safe from gun violence." Jaden Christensen, a volunteer with the Utah chapter of Moms Demand Action, said lawmakers should instead look to grow programs that teach parents the importance of keeping firearms away from children. 'The burden should always be on adults,' Christensen said.
