A bill introduced by Republican Utah State Sen. Todd Weller would establish a program by which middle schools in the state could contract outside specialists to provide gun safety education. “The reality is guns are ever-present in our society,” Weller said. “Hopefully, any parents with guns in their homes are teaching their children what to do and what not to do.” He explained that he is particularly concerned about children who come from non-gun-owning households who might not know what to do if they encounter a firearm.
Weller introduced legislation focusing on middle schools because he feels that students in this age range are both mature enough and open to new ideas. Children would be instructed to avoid touching any guns that they find and to alert an adult, just as in the NRA’s pioneering Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program.
