Since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida left 17 dead a steady stream of protests have erupted all over the country.
In Minneapolis Students from Washburn, Roosevelt, and South high schools converged at MLK park and marched to City Hall to have their voices heard.
“It is unacceptable that our representatives continue to put the interests of the NRA over our safety. We demand that our lawmakers pass regulations to make it more difficult for assault rifles to fall into the hands of those proven to have violent intent. We urge our fellow community members to use their power in the coming election to vote out politicians who have accepted donations from/been bought by the National Rifle Association. As our representatives, we urge our city, state, and federal officials to take our voices into account.”
Despite the clarity of youth protestors, responses to their demands have been mixed.
Amid Protests Legislation Proposed
With survivors of the massacre and other students watching in the Florida legislature galley, on Tuesday the state house rejected a ban on semiautomatic guns and large capacity magazines.
As of Wednesday, the Florida legislature continues to negotiate a bill that would impose age limits and waiting periods for assault rifles and a new program to arm school personnel as a prevention measure.
In Kentucky, legislators are in the process of passing a series of bills that would escalate the presence of guns on campus. House Bill 36 and 210 would expand the ability to carry concealed weapons. HB 210 specifically authorizes concealed carry on public and private college campuses. Senate Bill 103 would give school districts the discretion to appoint a “school marshal” who would be allowed to keep a gun on the property
The Trump Administration Responds
In a recent series of tweets, President Trump defended his statements on arming teachers
Earlier in the week The Washington Post reported that Trump administration officials felt that the gun massacre gave them reprieve from most recent controversies swirling around the Trump administration
“For everyone, it was a distraction or a reprieve,” said the White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reflect internal conversations. “A lot of people here felt like it was a reprieve from seven or eight days of just getting pummeled.”
The Los Angeles Times reports that since the inauguration Trump appointees
"have quietly chipped away at the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the federal system that stores consult to make sure buyers are eligible to purchase guns.
The administration officials narrowed a few legal definitions to make it harder to classify would-be gun buyers as ineligible. The FBI used to consider people "fugitives from justice" if there were outstanding warrants for their arrest, but now they must also have fled across state lines to intentionally avoid prosecution to be disqualified. Trump officials also purged tens of thousands of law enforcement records from the background system."
Teachers Unions Under Attack in Florida
Since the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre United States classrooms have become a site of concern as school shootings become a regular occurence. Most teachers and school site personnel are being asked to not only teach their students but also protect them from shooters.
"They talk of arming teachers, but I don't have the money for books and paper. Yet, they can find money for guns," said teacher Sally Craven.
Educator De Elizabeth writing in Vox explains:
"But let’s pause to think about how dystopian this is: Ordinary men and women, drawn to teaching by their love of children and learning, have to think about scenarios that might typically haunt the dreams of soldiers in wartime. It’s certainly not what one would expect when they pursue their degree in education — and, contrary to what some might say today, it’s not what teachers signed up for."
Despite being expected to protect students well resourced organizations continue to attempt to decimate teachers unions. The Miami New Times reoports that language in the K-12 funding bill is an attempt to decertify unions:
“The lobbying arm of the Koch brothers' political-influence network, Americans for Prosperity, has endorsed the idea of required 50 percent enrollment. In 2017, Miami-Dade's union head, Karla Hernandez-Mats, told New Times that teachers see the idea as part of the nation's multidecade assault on workers' rights. The provision is nearly identical to Wisconsin's infamous Act 10, the transparently anti-union bill that Gov. Scott Walker passed in 2010. Since Act 10 passed, union membership has been crippled — and Wisconsin has reportedly seen the largest decline in middle-class wages of any state.”
As of Wednesday the Florida legislator is still debating the school funding bill. An amendment was added that would remove the decertification language. The language is being chastised for disproportionately targeting teachers unions.
More Protests Planned
March for Our Lives emerged from the Parkland shooting and is organizing a Washington, DC protests on March 24th along with coordinating protests throughout the country.
"On March 24, the March for Our Lives movement will take to the streets to demand that we end the epidemic of mass shootings in our schools today."
For More Information:
https://www.marchforourlives.com
on FB
Share
Since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida left 17 dead a steady stream of protests have erupted all over the country.
In Minneapolis Students from Washburn, Roosevelt, and South high schools converged at MLK park and marched to City Hall to have their voices heard.
“It is unacceptable that our representatives continue to put the interests of the NRA over our safety. We demand that our lawmakers pass regulations to make it more difficult for assault rifles to fall into the hands of those proven to have violent intent. We urge our fellow community members to use their power in the coming election to vote out politicians who have accepted donations from/been bought by the National Rifle Association. As our representatives, we urge our city, state, and federal officials to take our voices into account.”
Despite the clarity of youth protestors, responses to their demands have been mixed.
Amid Protests Legislation Proposed
With survivors of the massacre and other students watching in the Florida legislature galley, on Tuesday the state house rejected a ban on semiautomatic guns and large capacity magazines.
As of Wednesday, the Florida legislature continues to negotiate a bill that would impose age limits and waiting periods for assault rifles and a new program to arm school personnel as a prevention measure.
In Kentucky, legislators are in the process of passing a series of bills that would escalate the presence of guns on campus. House Bill 36 and 210 would expand the ability to carry concealed weapons. HB 210 specifically authorizes concealed carry on public and private college campuses. Senate Bill 103 would give school districts the discretion to appoint a “school marshal” who would be allowed to keep a gun on the property
The Trump Administration Responds
In a recent series of tweets, President Trump defended his statements on arming teachers
Earlier in the week The Washington Post reported that Trump administration officials felt that the gun massacre gave them reprieve from most recent controversies swirling around the Trump administration
“For everyone, it was a distraction or a reprieve,” said the White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reflect internal conversations. “A lot of people here felt like it was a reprieve from seven or eight days of just getting pummeled.”
The Los Angeles Times reports that since the inauguration Trump appointees
“have quietly chipped away at the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the federal system that stores consult to make sure buyers are eligible to purchase guns.
The administration officials narrowed a few legal definitions to make it harder to classify would-be gun buyers as ineligible. The FBI used to consider people “fugitives from justice” if there were outstanding warrants for their arrest, but now they must also have fled across state lines to intentionally avoid prosecution to be disqualified. Trump officials also purged tens of thousands of law enforcement records from the background system.”
Teachers Unions Under Attack in Florida
Since the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre United States classrooms have become a site of concern as school shootings become a regular occurence. Most teachers and school site personnel are being asked to not only teach their students but also protect them from shooters.
“They talk of arming teachers, but I don’t have the money for books and paper. Yet, they can find money for guns,” said teacher Sally Craven.
Educator De Elizabeth writing in Vox explains:
“But let’s pause to think about how dystopian this is: Ordinary men and women, drawn to teaching by their love of children and learning, have to think about scenarios that might typically haunt the dreams of soldiers in wartime. It’s certainly not what one would expect when they pursue their degree in education — and, contrary to what some might say today, it’s not what teachers signed up for.”
Despite being expected to protect students well resourced organizations continue to attempt to decimate teachers unions. The Miami New Times reoports that language in the K-12 funding bill is an attempt to decertify unions:
“The lobbying arm of the Koch brothers’ political-influence network, Americans for Prosperity, has endorsed the idea of required 50 percent enrollment. In 2017, Miami-Dade’s union head, Karla Hernandez-Mats, told New Times that teachers see the idea as part of the nation’s multidecade assault on workers’ rights. The provision is nearly identical to Wisconsin’s infamous Act 10, the transparently anti-union bill that Gov. Scott Walker passed in 2010. Since Act 10 passed, union membership has been crippled — and Wisconsin has reportedly seen the largest decline in middle-class wages of any state.”
As of Wednesday the Florida legislator is still debating the school funding bill. An amendment was added that would remove the decertification language. The language is being chastised for disproportionately targeting teachers unions.
More Protests Planned
March for Our Lives emerged from the Parkland shooting and is organizing a Washington, DC protests on March 24th along with coordinating protests throughout the country.
“On March 24, the March for Our Lives movement will take to the streets to demand that we end the epidemic of mass shootings in our schools today.”
For More Information:
https://www.marchforourlives.com
on FB