Town Hall Question
August 31, 2000
Please tell me what your plans are to prevent the youth of our
country from being able to obtain firearms so easily, as well as what
measures you will take to ensure that our schools are safe even if a
youngster does come into possession of a weapon. Thank you.
John Daniels
Margate, FL
John, thank you for visiting my website and sharing your family's fears
about school violence and guns. Despite the changes that have
reduced violent crime to its lowest level in 25 years, gun violence
continues to plague America's streets and schools. We need to do
more to protect our children.
As president, I will launch a sweeping anti-crime strategy that includes
common sense gun safety measures to keep our families safe and
secure. To keep guns out of the hands of young people, I will work to
raise the minimum age to own a gun from 18 to 21, close the gun
show loophole, prohibit juveniles from possessing assault rifles and
large capacity ammunition feeding devices, and extend the Brady Law
to violent juveniles so that youth convicted of serious violent crimes
cannot own firearms as adults.
I will also continue my work to make schools safer, a quest that began
in early 1994, when I encouraged Congress to pass legislation that
helped take guns out of schools. The Gun-Free Schools Act, which
required that all states receiving federal education funding adopt
policies requiring a mandatory one year expulsion for any student who
brings a gun to school, has worked to keep dangerous children out of
our schools. I want to build on that record by insisting on a policy of
zero tolerance toward guns in our schools.
Finally, I believe we should heed the lessons of the recent Surgeon
General's report which found that primary care and the schools are
major settings for the potential recognition of mental disorders in
children and adolescents. I propose to expand the Safe
Schools/Healthy Students initiative to identify and treat emotional
problems early on.editorial comment: (Thorazine for NRA junior Members??????) My proposal would help communities develop
comprehensive strategies to involve the school district, the local mental
health system, law enforcement, families and community-based
organizations in addressing school safety and healthy childhood
development. I would also provide training to all new teachers to make
sure they can spot signs of trouble. These measures will help avoid
violence before it starts.
Together, these proposals will help us protect all of our children and
give them the safe and nurturing environment they need to grow and
learn.
http://www.algore.com/townhall/th_gun_violence.html
August 31, 2000
Please tell me what your plans are to prevent the youth of our
country from being able to obtain firearms so easily, as well as what
measures you will take to ensure that our schools are safe even if a
youngster does come into possession of a weapon. Thank you.
John Daniels
Margate, FL
John, thank you for visiting my website and sharing your family's fears
about school violence and guns. Despite the changes that have
reduced violent crime to its lowest level in 25 years, gun violence
continues to plague America's streets and schools. We need to do
more to protect our children.
As president, I will launch a sweeping anti-crime strategy that includes
common sense gun safety measures to keep our families safe and
secure. To keep guns out of the hands of young people, I will work to
raise the minimum age to own a gun from 18 to 21, close the gun
show loophole, prohibit juveniles from possessing assault rifles and
large capacity ammunition feeding devices, and extend the Brady Law
to violent juveniles so that youth convicted of serious violent crimes
cannot own firearms as adults.
I will also continue my work to make schools safer, a quest that began
in early 1994, when I encouraged Congress to pass legislation that
helped take guns out of schools. The Gun-Free Schools Act, which
required that all states receiving federal education funding adopt
policies requiring a mandatory one year expulsion for any student who
brings a gun to school, has worked to keep dangerous children out of
our schools. I want to build on that record by insisting on a policy of
zero tolerance toward guns in our schools.
Finally, I believe we should heed the lessons of the recent Surgeon
General's report which found that primary care and the schools are
major settings for the potential recognition of mental disorders in
children and adolescents. I propose to expand the Safe
Schools/Healthy Students initiative to identify and treat emotional
problems early on.editorial comment: (Thorazine for NRA junior Members??????) My proposal would help communities develop
comprehensive strategies to involve the school district, the local mental
health system, law enforcement, families and community-based
organizations in addressing school safety and healthy childhood
development. I would also provide training to all new teachers to make
sure they can spot signs of trouble. These measures will help avoid
violence before it starts.
Together, these proposals will help us protect all of our children and
give them the safe and nurturing environment they need to grow and
learn.
http://www.algore.com/townhall/th_gun_violence.html