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Gun Violence Prevention
Resolution Reminder, Honor Cords, and More! (April 2024)
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Resolution on the Safe Storage of Firearms
Back in November 2022, Framingham Public Schools was one of the first cities in the state of Massachusetts to pass a Secure Storage Notification Resolution. Since then, many cities and towns across MA followed suit, as well as the National Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
We remain committed to not only continuously create education and awareness opportunities for the Framingham community, but to also take steps to help keep our community safe.
The bottom line is: Secure firearm storage saves lives.
Graduating Seniors can request a Gun Violence Prevention Honor Cord
Orange is the color that Hadiya Pendleton's friends wore in her honor when she was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15—just one week after performing at President Obama's 2nd inaugural parade in 2013. After her death, they asked us to stand up, speak out, and Wear Orange to raise awareness about gun violence. Since then, orange has been the defining color of the gun violence prevention movement. Whether it's worn by students in Montana, activists in New York, or Hadiya's loved ones in Chicago, the color orange honors the more than 120 lives cut short and the hundreds more wounded by gun violence everyday.
Students Demand Action is excited to distribute orange graduation honor cords to gun violence prevention advocates and survivors of gun violence who are graduating high school or college this year.
Massachusetts Law
Massachusetts residents 15 years and older who wish to possess, carry, and transport firearms, ammunition, and feeding devices are required to have a firearms license. Firearms licenses are issued by local municipal police departments. Learn more about gun ownership in Massachusetts. Additionally in Massachusetts, all guns must be stored in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device. Primitive firearms are exempt from this storage requirement. It is recommended that you store firearms unloaded, separately from ammunition, in locked compartments.
Be SMART Campaign
The Be SMART campaign raises awareness that secure gun storage—storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition—can save lives. Be SMART emphasizes that it’s an adult responsibility to keep kids from accessing guns, and that every adult can play a role in keeping kids and communities safer.
Caregivers are encouraged to take these 5 simple steps to help prevent shootings by children:
- Secure all guns in your home and vehicles;
- Model responsible behavior around guns;
- Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes;
- Recognize the role of guns in suicide;
- Tell your peers to be SMART.
Resources
All resources and tips below came from the Be SMART Campaign. We chose to focus on CONVERSATION STARTERS - both those with children and how to ask about Gun Storage. If you wish to explore the Be SMART resources further, please visit their website: https://besmartforkids.org/resources/
Tips for Talking to Children
Tips for Talking to Young Children:
- Make it part of the normal safety conversation you have with your children.
- Keep the language simple; for example: “If you see a gun, don’t touch it. Tell an adult right away.”
- Tell children not to touch a gun, even if it looks like a toy.
- Assure children they will not get in trouble if they tell an adult they’ve seen a gun.
- Repeat it on a regular basis.
Tips for Talking to Adolescents:
- Include it in your general safety conversations about topics like drugs, alcohol, and drunk driving.
- Tell them to immediately leave any situation where an unsecured gun is present.
- Tell them not to listen to a friend who says a gun is unloaded or otherwise safe.
- Give your teen strategies to get out of a situation where a gun is present—or brainstorm them together. For example, you could agree that your teen would say: “Mom just texted me that I have to get home right now.”
- Assure them that it’s OK to ask people about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes they may be visiting, but offer to do it for them if they don’t feel comfortable.
Tips for All Ages:
- Don’t have the conversation only once. Talk to them frequently, just as you would about other crucial safety issues.
- Make sure they understand that any situation where there’s an unsupervised gun is a dangerous situation.
Asking About Secure Gun Storage
Owning a gun is a personal decision, but secure storage is a public safety issue. Kids and unsecured guns are a potentially lethal combination. Fortunately, a simple conversation can help keep children out of harm’s way. It doesn’t need to feel strange or awkward to bring up the issue of how guns are stored. These simple conversations with your friends, caregivers, and relatives before your child visits can help save lives.
Sample Conversation Starters
General Safety Conversation
“Before I drop my son/daughter/child off, I just wanted to check to see if you have pets? And also ask if you have firearms in your house and confirm how they are stored. I want to make sure he knows your safety rules.”
Teen safety conversations
“Hey, excited the kids are getting together over the weekend. I know that they’ve hung out quite a bit, but my daughter/son/child has never been over to your house so I want to confirm a couple of things: Will an adult be at the house the whole time? Also, I heard a story on the news that made me decide I should always ask this—do you have any firearms, and how are they stored? Do you need me to pick (insert child's name) up or can you give her/him/them a ride home?”
If you know that the homeowner or your family member is a gun owner.
“We are looking forward to spending time with you and with the whole family. I know I have never asked this before, but after hearing about a recent unintentional shooting in the area (you can refer to the Not An Accident map), I just have to ask: how are your guns stored? The kids get into everything and I don’t want to spend the day looking over my shoulder worried about them, or the rest of the kids.”
Confirm secure storage practices. Following their description, if you need to know more, then you can ask direct questions, like: "What kind of lock do you use?" or "How do you store ammunition?"
Sample text or email starters (Sometimes these conversations are easier via email.)
Try “sandwiching” your question amongst other questions and information. For example: “I know my child/son/daughter hasn't been to your home before and I do like to ask a few safety questions. They is skittish around dogs, do you have any? Also, do you own any firearms, and if so, how are they stored? Finally, will they be playing video games? We only allow limited time on ones rated ‘E.’ My son/daughter/child doesn't have any allergies. For future reference, no pets, and no firearms at our home. Thanks so much.”
Here is a visual example of how that may play out:
Sample texts, emails, or conversation starters for teenage babysitters
Certainly there are times that a teen will be in the role of the caregiver and need to confirm this information on his/her own. The onus is still on adults. Here is sample language.
“I’m confirming that you need me at 7pm on Saturday evening. Let me know if the kids will need to be fed. Also, my parents wanted me to ask if there are any unsecured guns in the home? Thanks.”
The mission of the Framingham Public Schools is to educate each student to learn and live productively as a critically-thinking, responsible citizen in a multicultural, democratic society by providing academically challenging instructional programs taught by highly-qualified staff and supported by comprehensive services in partnership with our entire community. For news, updates, and announcements, follow Framingham Public Schools (@FraminghamPS) on Facebook and (@framinghamschools) on Instagram. You can also join the conversation using #FraminghamSchools.