One South Carolina lawmaker believes there is an anti-Second Amendment movement taking place within the state, and that as a result, kids need to receive more education about their right to bear arms.
State representative Alan Clemmons (R) filed a bill in December with co-sponsors Richard Yow (R) and Garry Smith (R) that would create a “Second Amendment Awareness Day” on Dec. 15, the day after the anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. For this day, schools would be asked to conduct essay and poster contests relating to the theme “The Right To Bear Arms; One American Right Protecting All Others.”
Additionally, the bill stipulates that students across the state should learn about the Second Amendment for three weeks, for one class period per day. Schools would teach these lessons using a curriculum developed or recommended by the National Rifle Association.
Finally, the bill notes that teachers should not punish “political, written, or artistic expression that includes references to guns or a militia” because of the First Amendment.
In a Facebook post and an op-ed for local outlet The State, Rep. Clemmons explained his motivation for introducing this bill.
“Zero-tolerance policies are out of control. What started as school board attempts to stop students from bringing guns into school has turned into an anti-Second-Amendment movement, with significant social consequences,” Clemmons wrote in his op-ed.
He continued, “I was shocked in August when a Summerville student made national news after he was suspended and arrested for writing a fictional essay about buying a gun to shoot his neighbor’s pet dinosaur.”
Indeed, kids around the country have been punished for bringing toy guns to school or pointing their fingers in the shape of a gun.
I was all set to agree with a decision to have a gun awareness day, until I read the article. I thought that legislation was being proposed to stress gun safety to children in school. I would fully support a day of gun safety instruction where kids were taught to tell their teacher if they saw a weapon at school or to stay out of their parents’ gun case or some common sense safety rules. That isn’t what this is about.
Additionally, I would have no problem with a Bill of Rights unit of study at the grade level where civics is taught. Students should be particularly aware of what is contained in the Bill of Rights. They should know the implications of at least the major ones.
I would be blasting away if my kid were assigned a project where they had to defend the right to bear arms. I would hope the school would teach my kid to be an independent thinker and not be a tool for government-speak.
This is legislation that should fail. All 10 amendments should be taught. The 2nd Amendment is no more important to most of us than the first. In fact, I would probably chose the 1st over the 2nd as my main focus (but that’s a personal opinion). It sounds like brain washing rather than education to me.
Do you support legislation that singles out the 2nd amendment above all others to be taught in schools by decree?
Further reading: Guns.com
How about a “Constitution Day”? Why one amendment rather than the entire document? If they’re only going to concentrate on one amendment, I’d prefer it be the Ninth. Or perhaps the Ninetheenth. The Ninth is probably far less well understood than the Second.
I would be acceptant of Bill of Rights Day. Treat all equally and don’t brain wash.
How about a “Constitution Day”? Why one amendment rather than the entire document? If they’re only going to concentrate on one amendment, I’d prefer it be the Ninth. Or perhaps the Nineteenth. The Ninth is probably far less well understood than the Second.
@Scout
I wouldn’t have a problem with this, provided that the curriculum was balanced and/or used SCOTUS cases to establish a prevailing interpretation. The reason I say this is, I can remember running afoul of my “Constitutional Law” teacher, as a HS senior. He asserted that the 2nd amendment guaranteed the right of the individual states to have organized militias, and since the National Guard was established, the states no longer needed militias. He taught that the 2nd Amendment had nothing to do with individual rights. In an essay, I argued a contrary point, that every other amendment in the Bill of Rights was either an expressed individual right, or as in the case of the 1st amendment, had an individual right component, and the 2nd amendment should be viewed in the same light. and was browbeaten for it.
Both sides could briefly be discussed. I think that is only fair. Also I would discuss the role of the NRA the groups opposing them and why. I wouldn’t spend more time on it than other amendments.
I think a “Grammar Awareness Day” or a “Calculus Awareness Day” would be far more productive. My area high school can barely keep its accreditation anymore.
Excellent point, Emma. Go with Grammar. It is the most abused.
@Emma
“Grammar Awareness Day” or a “Calculus Awareness Day”
Shouldn’t this be “every day” in school?
They can replace the daily recitation of the pledge and the moment of silence to make room for it. Or, maybe increase taxes and send state money to each school district to lengthen the school day because we can’t have an unfunded mandate, right? Snicker.
But of course not.
@Steve Thomas There just isn’t time in the school day for all of that nonsense anymore.
@Emma
Yes, there are more important things, like “Self-esteem” “acceptance”, and the proper method to use when applying a condom to a banana.
Instead of a 2nd amendment day….. teach the Bill of Rights and teach them the difference between “rights” and “wants.” Teach them that with each right comes a responsibility.
As for guns, teach gun safety in school, like they do sex ed and driver’s ed.
Before we have Constitution Day in schools, can we try it out on Pennsylvania Ave. first? Lots of people don’t seem to have read articles I & II.
Re: the 2nd amendment “debate” one of the really big things about the Heller decision a few years ago was that the Supreme Court addressed that issue very specifically. The court said the right to bear arms is an individual right not a collective right or a right to join militias. So now the burden is on local governments to show that restrictions on gun ownership are not unduly burdensome. (strict scrutiny test) You may or may not agree, but as far as the courts are concerned it’s “settled law” now. Stare decisis and all that. Heller was much, much bigger than just striking down DC’s gun ban.
+1
There is too much tinkering with education from a legislature that knows nothing about the demands already placed on teachers in the classroom. Talk to people in common core states to see how they like a program given down from the state.
This is definitely a pet peeve of mine. Legislators hear things and have knee jerk reactions without knowing enough about said subject to avoid the consequences of their actions. It happens again and again. The legislators never seem to learn.
What makes this idiot think that the 2nd amendment is somehow under threat? Did he see what just happened in Idaho? These people are a bunch of paranoid nut cases.
@Starryflights
Seeing all of the various bills trying to restrict it.
Great example of (older) adults bringing children into their weird internal debates, which aren’t really about the kids and don’t have anything to do with the kids.
I just watched my 13 year old grandson play on his PS4 for a few hours last night. If you think kids need some cirriculum to be aware of guns, you’re not living in this current-day world.
Please list the bills you reference
@Starryflights
No. Not the place for it.
But since you seem to be interested, you can start with the SAFE Act in NY. Then see the various laws in WA, NJ, CA, CT, and CO.
Then move on to statements by various politicians like Schumer and Feinstein. See the various failed bills that were described as “common sense” but were actually quite draconian.
Have a nice day.
@Rick Bentley
They may be aware of them.
But are they trained in safe handling of them or what to do if they encounter one at a friend’s under uncontrolled conditions?
My 14 year old has known for years what to do. She, however, does not play computer games.
I think Rick is suggesting that there is no need for gun AWARENESS to be taught. The SC legislator is acting like kids aren’t aware of guns.
I think gun safety is important. I don’t think every kid should be taught how to handle a gun unless they want to be taught. Don’t private organizations have opportunities for kids? My son took the equivalent of coursework through the Boy Scouts of America. I believe there are also NRA courses for kids. I am not sure of the locations though.
Cosign with Moon.
Maybe right-wingers should be given their own set of public schools, where they can set the curriculum? No mention of evolution, no sex education, but lots of gun awareness and pledging allegiance and praying.
And when they find a kid in their schools who is gay or transgender, or loses or changes religion from fundamentalist Christian, or just becomes more interested in science than in religion, they can ship them over to the more liberal school.
@Rick Bentley
I love your blanket insults. Therefore you are not worthy of a discussion right now.
Just observing absurd behavior, rather than targeting insults.
I genuinely wish we could divide into two Americas, one red and one blue, and see who did better over time. I’m not at all sure who would do better.
I vote for purple America. I think it would do better.
Well, we are doing fairly well right now, in terms of standard of living, but our political system is dysfunctional.