On February 14, 2018, a shooting at Stoneman-Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida shook the nation and the world. As of March 20, there have been seventeen school shootings in the United States during 2018 (CNN). United States Citizens watch in shock as school shootings occur and no legislation is passed in response. Students across the nation have taken this opportunity to stand up and make their voices heard with the “March for Our Lives,” #NeverAgain movement (March for Our Lives).
On March 24, students and families will “take to the streets to demand that their lives and safety become a priority” (March for Our Lives). This is only one drop in the bucket of student response to violence in schools across the United States. At Model General Assembly this year, there are many bills that include aspects of gun control and school safety. Such bill patrons, like Gabriel Edwards, Diana Hall, and Max Snead think that by presenting these bills at MGA they are playing an active role in the nationwide fight for safer schools.
Gabriel Edwards and Diana Hall, a senator and a representative respectively from Kecoughtan High School, have a bill that includes reformed lockdown drills in case of a potential or active threat. Senator Diana Hall stated, “right now, there is nothing in place to even start the thinking process of what would happen” in the case of a school shooting. When asked what role he thinks the bill plays in today’s climate towards school safety, Representative Gabriel Edwards said, “it would get attention, not only in Virginia but I think across the nation as to showing how prepared we as Virginians are.” Finally, Diana Hall expressed her pride in our generation for “being the first to speak up, because this has happened for too long.”
Senator Max Snead from East Rockingham High School introduced a bill yesterday which would outlaw the “purchase, sale, and transfer” of bump stock in Virginia. According to the New York Times, a “‘bump stock’ replaces a rifle’s standard stock, which is the part held against the shoulder. It frees the weapon to slide back and forth rapidly, harnessing the energy from the kickback shooters feel when the weapon fires” (New York Times). Senator Snead expressed how bump stocks “don’t really have a practical use in our society.” When asked what role he thinks his bill plays in today’s society, Senator Snead responded, “there are many other people out there, congressional leaders, proposing bills like this… the president supports it, the NRA supports it… there’s lot of support around the nation on this.”
In the wake of the Parkland, Florida shooting this February and the sixteen other school shooting incidents that took place this year alone, MGA students stand together under the message that we need safe schools for students and faculty alike. Whether they are eliminating bump stock or reforming school lockdown drills, the youth legislators at this year’s Model General Assembly are passionate about making sure the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the nation, are safer.
March for Our Lives https://event.
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