Skip to main content
FamilyEducation
FamilyEducation
Family Education

FE-Menu

  • Pregnancy
    • <blank>
      • Pregnancy Tracker
      • Trying to Conceive
      • Signs & Symptoms
      • Pregnancy Health
    • <blank>
      • Baby Names
      • High Risk Pregnancies
      • Preparing for Baby
    • <blank>
      • Concerns & Complications
      • Labor & Delivery
      • Postpartum
  • Baby Names
    • <blank>
      • Browse All Baby Names (A-Z)
      • Top Names for Boys
      • Top Names for Girls
      • Baby Name Generator
    • <blank>
      • Baby Name Lists & Ideas
      • First Names By Origin
      • Browse All Last Names (A-Z)
      • Last Names by Origin
  • Babies
    • <blank>
      • Caring For Your Baby
      • Baby's Health
      • Feeding Your Baby
    • <blank>
      • Your Baby and Sleep
      • Baby's Growth & Development
      • Baby Hygiene
    • <blank>
      • Baby Safety
      • Baby Products
    • <blank>
  • Toddlers
    • <blank>
      • Toddler Growth and Development
    • <blank>
      • Toddler Behavior and Discipline
    • <blank>
      • Your Toddler and Sleep
  • Kids
    • <blank>
      • Health
      • Childhood Development
      • Fitness & Nutrition
      • Childhood Safety
    • <blank>
      • Communicating with Your Kids
      • Childhood Behavior and Discipline
      • Fostering Responsibility
      • Instilling Values & Manners
    • <blank>
      • Childcare
      • Neurodiversity in Kids
      • Adopting Children
  • Teens
    • <blank>
      • Teen Health
      • Teen Puberty & Sex
    • <blank>
      • Behavior & Discipline
      • Teen Social Development
    • <blank>
      • Values & Responsibilities
  • Activities
    • <blank>
      • Printables
      • Indoor Activities
      • Learning Activities
      • Arts and Crafts
      • Performing Arts
      • Food Activities
      • Outdoor Activities
    • <blank>
      • Books
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Online
      • Quizzes
      • Games
      • Celebrities
    • <blank>
      • Parties
      • Travel
      • Toys
      • Holidays
      • Gifts
  • Learning
    • <blank>
      • By Grade
      • By Subject
      • College
      • Preschool
    • <blank>
      • Back to School
      • Study Skills
      • Learning Styles
    • <blank>
      • Homeschooling
      • Parental Involvement
      • Your Child's School
  • Family Life
    • <blank>
      • Mom Life
      • Dad Life
      • Family Relationships
      • Having a Healthy Marriage
      • Divorce
    • <blank>
      • Health & Fitness
      • COVID Resources
      • Managing Your Home
      • Moving Your Family
      • Pets
    • <blank>
      • Family Finances
      • Work
      • Families and Food
  • NewslettersNewsletters
    Newsletters

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Kids
  3. Childhood Safety
  4. Home Safety
  5. How Kids Get Guns, Part I

 

 

How Kids Get Guns, Part I

Our reporter asks gun control experts for the answer.
by: Katy Abel
  • facebook share icon
  • pin
  • twitter share icon
  • email share icon
  • Print page icon

How Kids Get Guns, Part I

"I Don't Know"

On Monday Dec. 6, 1999, a 7th grader at a middle school in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma walked up to a group of classmates waiting for the morning bell and allegedly opened fire with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, wounding four classmates. When asked by a sheriff's deputy why he did it, the unidentified 13 year-old reportedly answered, "I don't know."

Does anyone know how to stop children from gaining access to guns? FamilyEducation.com asked gun control activist John Rosenthal for his perspective on the issue. Rosenthal is co-founder of Stop Handgun Violence Inc., based in Newton, Mass., and a member of the board of directors of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence in Washington, DC.

Q: How does a 7th grader get a gun?

A: Kids access guns easily because there's at least one gun in 40 percent of American homes. 30 to 40 percent of those guns are left loaded and unlocked. Roughly 80 percent of school shootings have occurred when kids access their parents' or relatives' guns. At Columbine the weapons used were purchased at gun shows, which are virtually cash and carry.

Q: What about the Brady Law? Didn't that deal with the problem of easy gun access?

A: That's a common misconception. The Brady Law, passed in '93, was a good start, but only a start. It requires a five-day waiting period and a background check before you can buy a gun. It made it illegal for anyone under 21 to purchase a gun from a licensed dealer. But a loophole allows 18 to 21 year-olds to buy guns from private or unlicensed individuals. Gun shows and private sales are still unregulated. Toy guns and teddy bears have more federal regulation than firearms. I think if people really understood that, they'd be crazed.

How Much Do People Support Gun Control?

Q: But polls show the public supports strong gun control. Why hasn't Congress responded with tougher legislation?

A: Because people haven't converted their outrage into action. Congress only hears from the NRA (The National Rifle Association) and the NRA has bought Congress.

Q: What's the single most effective thing that could happen legislatively to keep guns out of the hands of kids?

A: The best thing would be to replicate the Massachusetts gun laws, which are among the toughest in the country. Massachusetts treats guns like cars. Cars are made to drive and we require training, licensing, and regulation. Guns are inherently more dangerous and have few of those requirements. Since 1994 Massachusetts has reduced gun injuries by 53%. Nationally, it's a different story. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is supposed to regulate the industry, but the Firearms Owners Protection Act, passed in 1986, prohibits the ATF from making more than one dealer inspection per year.

Q:What do you say to gun control opponents who say owning a gun is a right, while driving a car is a privilege?

A: There have been more than 40 Supreme Court decisions that say gun ownership is a privilege. You have "the right" to have a National Guard, but those rights don't extend to individual gun owners.

Q: What can individual parents do to stop gun violence?

A:When a child is going over to play at a friend's house, always ask the parents or guardians whether there is a gun in the household and how it is secured. Five children a day, under age 19, are killed by the accidental discharge of a firearm, or by suicide. If you're a gun owner, lock up your gun and separate your ammunition. If you're a Mom, consider attending the "Million Mom March" set for Mother's Day this May in Washington. They'll be focusing on the upcoming election and calling on Congress to pass commonsense gun laws.

What's hot

  • Attention Seeking Behaviors KidsHow to Handle an Attention-…
  • an age-by-age guide to teaching kids about "the birds & the bees" KidsAn Age-by-Age Guide to…
  • How to stop bullying KidsHow to Stop Bullying: Real…
  • Treating Burns KidsFirst Aid For Burns: How to…
NewslettersNewsletters
Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.
Family Education
FamilyEducation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Information on our advertising guidelines can be found here.

FE Footer

  • Newsletter Center
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Editorial Team
  • Expert Panel
  • Cookie Policy
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info (for CA Residents)
sandbox learning logo
Family Education is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational reference sites for parents, teachers, and students. 

factmonster logoinfoplease logoTeacherVision logo

sandbbox logo
©2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company.