SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A new bill in Utah aims to mandate firearm safety education for students as early as kindergarten. The measure passed the state House with a strong majority, achieving a 59-10 vote, and is now headed to the Senate for further consideration. Proponents argue that the initiative is designed to prevent accidental shootings involving young children, while critics express concern that it places an undue educational burden on them.
The proposed legislation requires public school students to undergo mandatory training throughout their K-12 education on how to properly respond if they come across a firearm. The instruction could be delivered in various formats, such as videos or demonstrations by instructors, and will educate students about best practices for safely handling and storing firearms to minimize accidents.
Elementary students will be introduced to firearm safety on at least three occasions before reaching sixth grade. The instruction could start as early as kindergarten, when children are approximately five years old. Rep. Rex Shipp, the Republican sponsor of the bill from Cedar City, emphasized that the lessons will be tailored to be age-appropriate. For younger students, the focus will be on avoiding contact with guns and notifying an adult immediately upon encountering one.
Shipp noted, "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." This statement highlights the need, as perceived by lawmakers, for children to be educated about firearms even if they are not exposed to them in their home environments.
Currently, Tennessee is the only other state that mandates firearm safety training in public schools, allowing educational officials to decide the appropriate grade level for such instruction. In contrast, the proposed Utah bill would ensure that lessons commence in the next school year and stipulate that they cannot involve live firearms or ammunition.
While a Utah statute already permits firearm safety education, Shipp argues that teachers are generally not implementing such programs. His bill aims to make this training compulsory, although parents will have the option to opt their children out of the instruction if they deem it necessary.
The bill’s progress comes on the heels of a previous law that Gov. Spencer Cox signed into effect last year, which provided funding for tactical training for teachers wishing to carry firearms in classrooms. Proponents described that legislation as a way to encourage teachers to protect students through armed defense. In contrast, opponents raised concerns about increasing the risk of students gaining access to firearms.
While some gun violence prevention advocates in Utah have praised the legislators for advancing gun safety education initiatives, there are voices arguing that such instruction should primarily focus on adults. Barbara Gentry from the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah asserted that the responsibility for gun safety fundamentally rests with adult gun owners, not children, stating, "Guns and gun safety are the responsibility of the adult gun owner, not school children." She advocates for schools to provide parents with materials that emphasize the importance of safe storage of firearms.
Similarly, Jaden Christensen, a volunteer with Moms Demand Action in Utah, argued that lawmakers should concentrate on expanding programs that teach parents about responsible firearm storage and safety around children. "The burden should always be on adults," Christensen emphasized, reinforcing the sentiment that children should not bear the responsibility for gun safety.
The outcome of this legislative effort in Utah remains to be seen, particularly as it faces scrutiny from various advocacy groups that highlight the complexities surrounding gun safety education.
