Other panel members felt that a gun safety course should be required before anyone should be allowed to obtain a firearm. Jessica Squires, an MCHS junior and audience member, openly lambasted the government for attempting to pass a number of gun laws following the Columbine tragedy. Its just a bunch of people making laws trying to cover their own butts. Following the student discussion, Del Elliott, a violence expert from the Violence Prevention Center at the University of Colorado, discussed several recent statistics with the students in order to clarify many popular assumptions. Contrary to popular belief, said Elliott, there aren t any more violent acts today than there were 10 years ago.
Today there are more injuries and more deaths as the result of violent acts.
Elliott cited a recent survey which stated that 6 percent of all students across the United States have brought a gun to school in the last 30 days. In order to fix some of these violence problems, Elliot suggested that schools should have few rules but the ones they do have should be strictly and uniformly enforced. Elliott also mentioned that schools should start implementing safety programs such as a tip hotline or a Safe School Planning Team made up of students, teachers, law enforcement representatives, parents and people from the faith community. I m not talking about conflicts that will always happen. Copyright 2000 the Cortez Journal.