Educators, already responsible for childhood learning and behavior, may now have the added responsibility to use firearms to protect Missouri schoolchildren and educate children on firearms safety. While gun right advocates resist government interference, firearms have killed more than 23 children since December 14, 2012. Many of these children found guns lying around their homes and accidently shot themselves or a sibling.
Missouri state senator Dan Brown has proposed bill SB 75 Require school districts and charter schools to provide training and education about firearms safety and addressing potentially dangerous or armed intruders.
The bill is an attempt to protect school administrators and students from violence at school, and to teach children the basics of gun safety.
Summary of SB 75
SB 75 – This act establishes the Active Shooter and Intruder Response Training for Schools Program (ASIRT). By July 1, 2014, each school district and charter school must train teachers and school employees on how to respond to students with information about a threatening situation and how to address a potentially dangerous or armed intruder or active shooter in the school or on school property. Training must be conducted on an annual basis. Initial training must be eight hours in length and continuing training must be four hours in length. All school personnel must annually participate in a simulated active shooter and intruder response drill conducted by law enforcement professionals as described in the act. Program instructors must be certified by the Department of Public Safety's Peace Officers Standards Training Commission. (Section 170.315)
Each school district and charter school must annually teach the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program to first grade students, or use a substantially similar or successor program of the same qualifications. The purpose of the program is to promote safety and the protection of children and emphasize how students should respond if they encounter a firearm. School personnel and program instructors must not make value judgments about firearms. Firearms are prohibited from the teaching of the program. Students with disabilities will participate to the extent appropriate. (Section 171.410)
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