Gun Bill Urged to Hold Parents Accountable
The Board of Education has decided to seek state legislation that would hold parents accountable if their child brings a gun to school.
The board’s motion, approved 4 to 1 this week, would have a parent whose offspring is caught with a gun at school be subject to civil and criminal penalties.
“I know there are out-of-control kids out there,” said board member Valerie Fields, one of three board members who crafted the motion. “But if parents know they are legally responsible, perhaps some will be more diligent about what’s going on in their child’s bedroom and out in the garage.”
Board member Jeff Horton abstained from voting, calling the motion “grandstanding.”
“It sounds like this is the school district trying to get off the hook and blame parents for something students do,” said Horton. “At best, to me, it’s rhetoric capitalizing on something tragic that happened [in Colorado].”
The dissenting vote came from board President Victoria Castro.
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