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McKinley High Students Oppose NRA Proposals For Guns In Schools

Erin Wiliams

The Gay-Straight Alliance of McKinley Classical Junior Academy held a press conference today in opposition of 

the NRA's proposal to train and arm at least one staff member in every school in the U.S. Released today, the report from the NRA's newly-formed National School Shield Taskforce recommends weapons training programs for school resource officers and personnel, and for states to adopt a new law that will allow additional personnel to bear arms.

Founding president of the Alliance Miguel Plancarte told reporters that more education and counseling, not guns and guards, is the better way to curb gun violence in schools.

“You know we come to school to learn and to be in a safe environment, and by putting guns in to school, we’re almost scaring children," he says. "We could fight it at the root of the solution, giving them more critical resources to just talk.” 

The Alliance's proposed alternatives include increasing parent and volunteer presence, creating stronger student-adult relationships, and continued support of conflict resolution programs.