"A group of parents from New Milford, Connecticut has hired an attorney to articulate their concerns about the decision by their school district to allow students to participate in the national student walkout held Wednesday to advocate for gun control."
I spent years learning how the right-wing mind works, so I knew this was coming. This is what they are saying:
"It's not fair that the kids get to have an anti-gun walkout! What about pro-gun kids? If you don't provide equal time we will sue."
Since I'm from the future, I can tell you that there will be more of this.
Gun loving parents have already been contacting schools complaining about the walkout on the 14th. Sadly, it's working. For example, students who don't want to participate in a rescheduled walkout at Romeoville High School will be given 30 minutes free time. (Why did it have to be rescheduled? A student sent out a photo of himself holding a gun saying, "yo it ain't safe to go to school tmrrw" Also, armed protesters.)
In the letter, made available as well to Breitbart News, Smith and Shugrue wrote that the district’s middle school students “also expressed an interest in participating in the broader conversation,” and would have a “grade appropriate, optional opportunity that focuses on civic participation.”
This issue of "civic participation" is a request for an equal time for the pro-gun message. If they don't get it? Lawsuits.
Breitbart News asked whether school districts could be faced with further litigation if they do not allow students who wish to hold walkouts for other causes to do so.
“That’s absolutely a valid concern,” she said. “There are equal protection laws as well, and if you are allowing one group to have free speech on your campus for a partisan purpose, then, obviously, it’s discriminatory not to allow an opposing point of view. So, it absolutely does open up the school districts to litigation and all sorts of other problems.”
The school in question did a good job responding to the threats, pointing out what the walkout was, a student initiated remembrance, vs how the group wanted to position it, a political event pushing for gun control. But that explanation will be disregarded as 'legal mumbo jumbo' by the aggrieved parents and they will keep pushing.
The pro-gun parents will suggest the school districts hold some kind of "educational" event in exchange for dropping the threat of litigation. Be on the lookout for these gun-friendly programs coming to your schools. Don't let them go unchallenged!
Yesterday I listened to The UnPresidented Podcast hosted by my friends Cliff Schecter and John Aravosis. They were talking to Shannon Watts, the head of Moms Demand Action, about the progress they have made. At 7:25 she talks about their successes One type of success that people don't see involves constantly knocking down hundreds of BS bills from the gun lobby.
I know how much energy it takes to keep blocking the NRA's legislative work. Now school districts will be getting pressure from the pro-gun people to implement their solution--more guns in schools. The people on the school boards and in school districts need to hear from parents who don't want more guns in schools.
I talk to people who see the whole concept of armed teachers as so absurd and dangerous they think it should go without saying. I tell them. "It needs to be said." Say it forcefully, repeatedly and with a preponderance of evidence.
I also don't want more armed police in schools. Not everyone thinks that, but I do and I have multiple reasons why. I hear people pushing them as an option that, "everyone agrees on." No. There are other options.
I talked to Michael Brooks on the Majority Report about some of the ways to fight this. All methods will be needed because the people who want to arm teachers have already convinced the legislators to start the money train rolling.
Personally I'm tired of the slaughter lobby and their supporters pushing us around legislatively, economically and personally.
