Public schools in several U.S. states are becoming the new frontier in the national debate over gun safety, with Arkansas, Tennessee, and Utah becoming the first to enact laws requiring students—from elementary grades through high school—to receive mandatory instruction on what to do if they encounter a firearm.
The legislation aims to equip children, many of whom grow up in homes with guns, with foundational knowledge on gun safety and proper storage.
While proponents argue the lessons are a crucial, pragmatic step to prevent accidental shootings, the measures have quickly put educators at the forefront of yet another sensitive social issue.
The New Classroom Curriculum
The new laws mandate age-appropriate lessons for children as young as five years old…