Debate begins on bill requiring NRA gun course for first graders

Debate began Tuesday in the Missouri Senate on SB 75, a bill sponsored by Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, which would require all first graders to take NRA's Eddie Eagle course.

Brown explained his bill in a report to constituents, which was printed in the Feb. 2 Turner Report:

One of the most controversial topics this session has been the issue of gun control in this state, as well as the entire country. As incidents of armed intruders in schools seem to be on the rise, we should be vigilant while we decide how the Legislature deals with this delicate topic, while protecting our Second Amendment rights.

 For this reason, I filed SB 75, which would establish the Active Shooter and Intruder Response Training for School Program. The program would require teachers and other school staff personnel to participate in training classes on how to respond to threatening situations, such as facing potentially dangerous or armed intruders in the schools. These training sessions would be conducted annually and would include 12 hours of instruction, as well as live simulations of various scenarios and how to deal with them to protect the lives of children. 

In addition, first-grade students would be taught the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program, which promotes safety and protection of children, and teaches them the proper way to respond in the event of a life-threatening situation in their school or even in the event of encountering a firearm at a friend’s house or other situations. 

To clear up any controversy, I would like to say that the Eddie Eagle program does not teach children to shoot a firearm in any way, nor does it promote gun ownership. The program merely teaches avoidance of firearms and how to report guns if found.   

  

I would also like to point out that this bill was introduced before the tragedy at Sandy Hook, which has been the catalyst of most of the recent gun-control legislation.

We teach our children how to deal with fires, tornadoes and earthquakes; sadly, I believe it is time to teach them how to deal with situations such as this as well.