Believe it or not, the South Dakota Legislature has managed to kill just about every bad gun bill that has come its way this session.*
All but one. The Legislature gets its next chance to kill this year's worst gun bill on Friday. HB 1087, the school gunslinger bill, goes before Senate State Affairs Friday, February 22, at 10:00 a.m. CST.
Guns will not make our kids safer. Guns in our teachers' shoulder holsters and janitors' carts will do certain philosophical harm and risk more physical harm our than the profoundly rare risk of a deliberate school shooting (not one in South Dakota history) that in-school guns only might stop.
Guns in school just aren't right. Give the nine men on Senate State Affairs a shout before Friday and tell them to stop the mistake that is House Bill 1087:
| Name | Chair/Vice |
|---|---|
| Brown, Corey | |
| Frerichs, Jason | |
| Johnston, J. Mark | |
| Lederman, Dan | |
| Lucas, Larry | |
| Olson, Russell | Vice Chair |
| Rave, Timothy | |
| Rhoden, Larry | Chair |
| Tieszen, Craig |
More than Tangentially Related: The Denver metro has seen two notorious mass shootings over the last 15 years, Columbine and Aurora. The Denver public school system is working on reducing the role of armed police in their school buildings. Denver has 15 armed "resource officers" in its 170 schools.
*By the way, can someone explain to me how Senator Monroe's SB 98 on vaccines gets categorized under "firearms" but Rep. Rev. Craig's school gunslimger bill does not?
Guns in school just aren't right.
I'm sure the survivors of Sandy Hook with a lick of sense, might just argue that point. You might also consider what perception a "gun free zone" conjures up in the mind of someone intent on doing harm.
Haven't heard anyone talk about none lethal weapons in the schools. What about pepper spray and tasers?
Minnow, are you talking about someone who has been committed for psychiatric care because they were strongly believed to want to cause harm to others? Is that the someone you mean when you say "...someone intent on doing harm?"
"The Legislature gets its next chance to kill this year's worst gun bill"
Cory, finally I agree with you on this issue. The good gun bills have all been killed. This one allows a school board and sherriffs to violate the teachers US and South Dakota Constitutional rights to bear arms. And this is suppose to be a Republican dominated legisalture in a conservative state. BS.... [editorial note from CAH: comment redacted for straying off topic. Print the rest on your own blog, Sibby.]