No guns at schools

House Bill 221 proposes to radically overhaul existing Kentucky statutes to allow those with valid or temporary concealed deadly weapons permits to carry concealed weapons onto K-12 school grounds and university campuses without permission from school or university officials.

As a mother of school-aged children, I weep each time another school shooting is announced and I live with the fear that the next will strike closer to home. However, letting more people with guns into our schools and onto our university campuses without the knowledge and/or oversight of responsible authorities is not the answer. Our children go to school to learn. Forcing them to do so in an environment that must also welcome guns is reckless and irresponsible.

David Burnett of Lexington argues in his March 9 commentary that concealed carry on school and university grounds would increase student safety. I disagree. Guns do not make us safer. Every day, guns kill 88 Americans. According to data tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearms deaths in Kentucky already exceed the national average (13.8 deaths per 100,000 population versus 10.2 nationally).

The existing laws that prevent concealed carry on K-12 and university property were designed that way for a reason and they make our schools safe places for learning. Let’s keep it that way.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 6:16 PM with the headline "No guns at schools."