Teaching firearms safety in public schools is an idea worth talking about

Statesman Journal Editorial Board | Statesman Journal

Gun-rights advocates last week filed an initiative petition to make firearms-safety instruction mandatory in all sixth-grade public schools in Oregon.

Condemnation was swift among those convinced that such a requirement was tantamount to endorsing gun use. Maybe it is.

There also was talk of instruction adding to the prevalence of guns in children's lives. Maybe it would.

But it is an idea that is worth talking about and should be considered by the Oregon Legislature.

We have too many stories in our community about gun accidents that might have been prevented if young people had been shown how to recognize gun danger and act appropriately.

Personally knowing how to recognize gun danger can help save lives.

Initiative Petition 6, filed for the November 2020 statewide general election, suggests mandatory gun safety classes.

The petition, which is supported by Independence's own Rep. Mike Nearman, was filed by Prineville resident Ston McDaniel and Jerrad Robison of Redmond.

Robison also is a chief petitioner of a gun-rights initiative in Deschutes County, which would allow county sheriffs to block enforcement of local, state or federal gun laws that the sheriff deems unconstitutional.

That's more authority than any single county employee should have, which has prompted many to dismiss the gun-instruction initiative as well. Indeed, the initiative is flawed with provisions such as empowering county sheriffs to usurp other mandates.

But that doesn't mean school gun-safety instruction is a bad idea.

Consider some parallel construction of the petition's gun-safety instruction provision.

Gun-control measures: Initiative would create firearm storage rules, make owners liable for harm

To comply with Oregon Revised Statute 336.455, each school district in Oregon provides age-appropriate human sexuality education courses in all public elementary and secondary schools. It's part of the state's health-education curriculum.

The state and districts ensure the courses are medically accurate, comprehensive, and include information about responsible sexual behaviors and hygiene practices.

This instruction helps eliminate or reduce the risks of pregnancy and exposure to HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted infections.

We know responsible gun owners teach their children gun safety just as responsible parents teach their children about sex education. These parents don't leave issues as important as sex and gun use solely up to our public-school system.

But what about the children who have no exposure to the potential dangers of gun use? Don't they deserve to know how to recognize when someone shouldn't be handling a firearm or when to notify an adult?

This knowledge can save lives.

Voicing support for knowledge is not irresponsible. Nor should it be controversial.