Students Speak Out On Guns

"We now have people roaming the streets late at night looking for trouble. Our founding fathers would have put a restriction on them to help protect the community.…They didn't expect everyday people to carry around guns and shoot people when they gave us the right to carry a gun. They would change that if they were still around today.."
Jamie Schmidt, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"Somewhere around two o'clock in the morning, a group of teenagers sets fire to a pasture out of boredom. A different group of youngsters has started toying around with guns because they have nothing else to do. Somewhere else, a crowd has gathered around two boys trying to out-drink each other. Activities such as this happen at all times of the day, but the frequency of these actions seems to escalate the later the hour gets. For this reason I believe more towns should impose curfews.
   A great deal of pressure is put on the teenagers of today. Teenagers are very impressionable, and anything that comes across as 'cool' is some-thing most of them feel the need to try. Peer pressure is overwhelming. Emphasis on grades is suffocating. Still, an individual needs to take responsibility for his or her own actions. They cannot blame their behavior solely on society's pressure on them."
Robyn Davis, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"If you want the world to be safe then you are going to have to compromise by following curfews, smog inspections, gun control laws and all the other laws the government provides to try and keep the world safe. You may not agree with all the methods the government uses to protect people, but there are other people who want these laws and believe these laws are helping the common good. So, if you want what's good for individual liberties and the common good, then you are going to have to compromise and sacrifice some of your individual liberties. After all, the government can't please everybody."
Brian Doyle, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"What business is it of ours in 1998 what applied back in 1789 if a new law could be in the interest of the safety of children today? If even the slightest step could be taken towards gun control creating safety for all, by all means it should be taken.…With all the talk of 'founding fathers said this' and '1789 was like that,' the truth of the matter has become the one thing in the very back of everyone's mind. The reality is this: life in the late 1700's will not help in determining how to live life in the late 1900's. Despite what the founding fathers said and wrote, the lives lost today are being taken in a very altered world. Had the founding fathers known the circumstances that would ensue, less emphasis would have been put on individual liberty and more would have been put on the protection of the community."
Liz Kalter-Long, Hanover High School, Hanover, New Hampshire

"How can the blessings of liberty be secured when kids can easily carry handguns to school? How can drunk driving be reduced without censoring advertisements and placing restrictions on free enterprise? Total control by the government is not the course that the nation should take, but the government should take some more responsibility on the issues of gun control, alcohol and drugs, and teen pregnancy, perhaps even amending the amendments that have protected America for so long. If the people of a nation change, the government should accommodate these changes and adjust for survival. Much like the process of natural selection - a species that does not adapt to its environment will become extinct. America needs to adapt to its crime-filled environment."
Jonathan Rose, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas

"The second amendment provides the right to bear arms. The Founding Fathers did not foresee this provision as a way to allow convicted felons the right to hold and use lethal weapons. Today, anyone can get a gun and, until recently, few laws were in use to screen the buyers of guns. [Some people] believe that the Founding Fathers, had they been able to see the repercussions of the liberties they guarantee, would have put a greater emphasis on the welfare of the community…Because they were not able to foresee the future, it is necessary for individuals to exercise their rights within limits [so] as not to harm the general public."
Ann Hutton, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia

A little history:
"Congress passed a decree [Gun-Free School Zones Act] making it illegal to carry a gun within one thousand feet of a school. The Supreme Court, when trying a related case, declared the law unconstitutional, stating that it is the duty of individual state governments, not the national government, to pass such regulations. This decision was warranted because…Americans are given express permission to carry a firearm. No one has the power to take this privilege away. Also, in some school systems, security guards patrol campuses to ensure safety of students and personnel. If this ordinance were deemed constitutional, these officers would be forced to lay down their defense weapons, thus jeopardizing the security of that campus. However, some aspects of the congressional law are justifiable because, in most cases, carrying guns to or around a school endangers others. In school systems, public encounters are inevitable. Accidental shootings can easily occur in so close an environment if any individual exercises his right to carry a gun. Not all school shootings are accidental either. In the 1997-1998 school session, six schools were reported as having fatal shooting incidents, and the perpetrators were all students who had previously attended these schools. Today, firearms can be more easily obtained than ever. 'The number of firearms in circulation nationwide has jumped from about fifty-four million in 1960 to an estimated 192 million today.'"
Amanda Singleton, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana

Most students were outraged by the Supreme Court ruling:
"I feel the Supreme Court was trying to cover themselves for fear they would be accused of going against our Constitution. If an esteemed institution such as the Supreme Court cannot make moral judgments because they are afraid of repercussion, they should not be in charge of the nation's liberties. "
Carey L. Shaffer, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

"The Supreme Court's vote did not consider safety; it was about a technicality of the imperfect United States Constitution."
Ryan Cumming, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"If this act had been put into action, a kid caught carrying a gun would be arrested or expelled. However, now [a student might] receive a mere suspension if [a] plot to annihilate [an] entire math class is foiled. (At least that's the case where I live.)…With this act in use, school shootings [might have been] cut in half. Parents must be outraged that this act was never put into use. However these outraged parents seem to be keeping mostly silent. Were I a parent with a child in middle or high school, I would demand an explanation as to why a chance to better my child's odds of living through the next school day had been canceled. This act is a wonderful chance that has been passed up by some poor decision-makers."
Logan Merriweather, 9^th Grade Home School, Pearland, Texas

"If the interest of the courts was to protect, then how can they honestly approach their decisions in such a predatory fashion?"
Monika Sutkus, Leonia High School, Leonia, New Jersey

"The Supreme Court chose the laissez-faire interpretation of the Constitution stating that regulating possession of guns in a school was not sufficiently related to commerce. Two hundred and twenty years ago there was no conceivable relation. Now at a point in our nation's existence when 135,000 high school students bring a firearm to school every day and over 4,000 are killed annually by guns, the relation between the two is quite evident. Completely unrestricted freedom of action would make peaceful human existence impossible; some restraints on individual liberties are necessary and inevitable. Virtually all codes of action recognize that basic limitation."
Kevin Rhodes, Lumberton High School, Lumberton, Texas

"When individuals believe their right to bear arms should come before a child's safety, things are not right."
Kelly Lynn Kirkpatrick, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Were I to draw a political cartoon on this issue you would see our nine Supreme Court Justices sitting around reading newspapers and talking. 'Oh darn,' one would say, 'five thousand men, women, and children have died on school campuses due to gun related violence.' Another [would] answer, 'Yeah, but look at how well our economy is doing!'
Alison Oshel, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois

"Congress tried to fix the problem but the Supreme court ruled the law unconstitutional. Imagine how the parents of children who have been  killed in a school shooting feel about this ruling!"
Erin Simmons, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

"Guns in or around schools should not be an issue open to debate. The presence of cigarettes, asbestos, or drugs is not tolerated near schools-yet these substances aren't nearly as hazardous as guns. Clearly there is no justification in overturning such a verdict, yet the technical approaches taken by the judges left a wide middle open for this danger to continue to exist."
Monika Sutkus, Leonia High School, Leonia, New Jersey

"If the highest court says it [The Gun-Free Zones Act] is unconstitutional then they aren't interested in the student's welfare. The schools are our community and rather then solving the problem [the Court is] making it worse."
Jacqueline R. Berrelleza, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"Through the Constitution, passing of responsibilities by legislators and court decisions, the United States government has established itself as insensitive to the needs of its citizens. It appears to be so preoccupied with [individual] rights…that it forgets that citizens must function together as a society."
Dyonne Venable, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia

The other side:
"One example of a time when the national government felt that it did not have the right to limit personal freedom is when the Supreme Court ruled against the Gun-Free School Zone Act because school gun control is not related to commerce. I agree with this ruling, I feel that it is the school's responsibility to make sure their campus is gun free."
Matthew Hunt, Lumberton High School, Lumberton, Texas

"I think the justices are using their power to interpret the law as it was, and is still intended."            
Stephanie Woods, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

"I agree with this ruling because the federal government should not have supreme power over everything. This gives less power to the federal government and more power to the state and local governments."
Michael Allen, Lumberton High School, Lumberton, Texas

"The Supreme Court's ruling against the Gun-Free School Zones Act was an ironic one. If they had voted in its favor, it would have been a huge step toward the curtailing of personal liberties for the common good. It would also have gained the support of many concerned parents, who in return wouldn't mind having a few of their liberties curtailed for the sake of the common good. Although they made an ironic decision, it was the correct one, and it was supported by many who believed that this new law would have denied them their right to bear arms….It was also a good decision because it halted future laws that would try to take this right away. These cases are difficult to decide, because they have many pros and cons on both sides. Although rulings that benefit whole communities may seem righteous, they are not because they sometimes take away personal liberties granted to everyone by the Constitution."
Christopher Washington, Avoyelles High, Moreauville, Louisiana

"Taking a gun away and putting a law on gun control takes away my second amendment, which is the right to bear arms. In having a gun in the house I can assure the safety of my family which is the most important thing to me. My role in this situation is to insure that my gun does not get into any of the wrong hands. My dad told me a story that I would like to tell. This story is an example of why guns should be allowed. There was a man who lived in Dallas, Texas. He was an older guy driving around town, and some local gang members drove up beside him and shot his tires out. He then had to pull over to get off the road. They pulled up ahead of him and were coming back to finish him off. He had a gun under his seat. He fired shots at them and it scared them off. The gun saved his life. This is a sad story. It shows what our country is coming to with so much violence."
Brandon Blake, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"'If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.' That is one of the most famous aphorisms of the pro-gun forces. Sophisticated liberals laugh at this point, but they should not. No matter how many laws are passed, only the law abiding citizen is going to obey the laws that have been passed. Why should we expect armed robbers and street thugs to obey these new laws when they readily violate laws against robbery, assault and murder?"
Ron Anderson, New Underwood Highl, New Underwood, South Dakota

"If they outlaw guns what will be next? Are they going to outlaw pop because it is not good for a person? Instead of taking away guns they should teach more self control in schools. Gun control is an attempt to take away our freedom."
Tom Hood, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

"Promoting gun free school zones takes away some of our rights. We're also showing kids that we'll pass laws to forbid them from doing things instead of teaching them responsibility….sometimes guns do appear on school grounds by accident. I'm from a rural community where hunting is a way of life. I hunt 75% of the school year, many days I hunt before I go to school. Sometimes I'm running late and I don't have time to take my gun home before school starts. In the area we live in guns aren't brought to school for defense, they simply show up here because of our heritage and way of life. I think guns should be allowed on school grounds."
Matt Dillon, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri                                                                                                                      

Albert sees the dichotomy - either the rights delineated in the Constitution have to be ignored or safety is jeopardized:
"My school, Joliet Central, is on a bad side of Joliet where fear of gangs roaming the streets is high. No student would need a handgun if the school is as tightly secured as ours. This act can give the police a reason to take handguns from gang members who threaten the schools safety. But how can the Supreme court take back the right to bear arms? This decision is like a flip of the coin. What the government does to protect the community hurts the gun owners. What it does to protect gun owners kills innocent students."
Albert Weihofen, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

We need gun legislation. So do we just forget the Constitution? Surprisingly, some students say "Yes!":
"I am sure no one would have a problem admitting school fatalities related to guns is on the rise today. So why did the Supreme Court rule it unconstitutional? Basically because it is unconstitutional. If our society was still the same as it was when the Constitution was written, this law would not be needed. Yet today, because of the reality of violent America, I must disagree with the ruling against this law. Wake up, America! We obviously need help - some intervention. When our founding fathers constructed the Constitution, the right to bear arms was not intended to give some emotionally distraught child the right to open fire in the school yard and blow everyone away."
Jackie Ward, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Why would the Supreme Court deny students their own lives simply because the Constitution states Americans 'have the right to bear arms.' Whether the Constitution agrees or not, laws need to be made; amendments need to be amended; someone must take responsibility."
Jonathan Rose, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas

"The ruling in the Lopez case, declaring the Gun-Free Schools Act unconstitutional, was a poor decision. In this instance the court seems overly concerned with the preservation of the laws of over two-hundred years ago, and less concerned with the protection of those citizens today who fall under such laws."
Amy Mandeville, Mecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia

If the Constitution is not the standard, what is? Some students consider the greatest good for the greatest number a viable standard, and once again base their opinions on the founding fathers: 
"I believe that with the Gun-Free School Zones Act, our founding fathers would have worked more for the common good rather than individual's rights, because innocent people are getting hurt by letting just anyone carry a gun around school. It would just depend on the amount of people who would benefit or suffer from the decisions."
Stacie Ricke, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Our nation was formed on the premise that the greatest good for the greatest number is the highest priority….This very idea is why our society needs to give up a tiny portion of our individual liberties. Perhaps achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of our community is an idealistic goal. But think of how great it would be if society and the government could just work together and strive for this attainable goal. By sacrificing minimal personal freedom, we can achieve the type of society that our founding fathers intended for us. Ironically, by simply giving up a little freedom, we may become free."
Jonathan Frieden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"In a nutshell, the greatest good for the greatest number is an accurate description of the way our founding fathers felt about community vs. individual rights."
Katharine A. McNichols, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"One cannot be so selfish as to think that his or her rights come before the needs of millions of others. If we operated in that fashion we would most likely be living in a dictatorship. The needs of the majority most definitely outweigh the needs of the individual."
Amanda Wells, Lumberton High School, Lumberton, Texas

"A man walks into a public grocery store wearing nothing but socks and carrying a gun. According to the First and Second Amendments he is doing nothing illegal. Yet he is arrested for his actions. Why? His amendment rights are restricted by the rights of others-the shoppers and workers. These people have a right to be protected.
   We are obligated as individuals to use our rights, not abuse them. As citizens of the United States we assume that each mature person knows what is best for himself and has the right to make his own personal choices. Yet individual decisions are limited by those of the majority.
   A middle-class woman decides one day that it would be to her benefit not to pay taxes. She tells all her friends about it. Eventually her influence spreads and the majority of people in her small town decide that it is best for them not to pay taxes. The government steps in and orders that they pay. Although it was a personal choice for each citizen, their individual welfare must take second place to that of the majority of people. Without tax money, the government would not have any means with which to protect us."
Rachael Protzman, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

A person will do what he wants to do - no matter what:
"Government is trying to restrict the individual's right to bear arms. It believes that by limiting this right it will make communities safer for those who could fall victim of murderous crimes. This attempted restriction has repeatedly been struck down…as unconstitutional. It is definitely an infringement on the liberties of the individual as set up by the Bill of Rights. Besides, how is restricting the law-abiding citizen going to change much or anything at all? Criminals do not simply walk into a gun shop and purchase a gun. They have the black market just for that purpose. Most criminals are not the type to put themselves at risk by abiding by the law in such a way. Again, even if the government restricts those who walk the straight and narrow…there is no background check that can be done to insure that the child of the purchaser will not take the gun from a hiding place and play a short game of shoot 'em up at the local school. Laws concerning the presence of guns on school grounds have not had much success….but I do believe that guns should not be brought into the school. I also have the opinion that if a person is determined to do harm to those in a school, that he will succeed no matter what the cost or what the law says. My belief is that there is simply no way to guard against violence. If it is going to happen, there is no one that can stand in the way. There will always be those who know how to get around the law."
Kelli Null, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"At times, it seems that the government does not remember, or acknowledge, [our] inherent ability to reason. American citizens are slapped with seemingly unending laws and guidelines that are constructed to help society but, in actuality, contribute to its decline. When our founding fathers constructed the Constitution, they did so with the idea that Americans possess 'adult responsibility and self-discipline'…Our predecessors fought so adamantly for the very freedoms we take for granted today, and these freedoms are what distinguish us as the United States of America….Recognizing our faults is not the duty of the government…and layers and layers of laws will not correct [our] problems. The more laws set before us, the more we allow the government to control our minds, and the less we reason and think for ourselves. If restrictions begin to snowball, we lose sight of our free will, responsibility, and personal determination. Does the government want us to be a mindless, blind society? Our democracy was founded to ensure that every American is permitted to think for himself and form his own opinions on almost all aspects of life. [A] few ruin the privilege for everyone else. Instead of imposing more laws and penalties, government should work on education and prevention."
Cari Sanchez, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

"The government that represents its citizens best is the one that educates them best. Ignorance is the evil of every society. In order to succeed as a society, we must be willing to sacrifice indifference for education - apathy for responsibility."
Lawrance L. McCain, Bondurant-Farrar High School, Bondurant, Iowa

"'Adult responsibility and self-discipline is the main cure.' If every individual lived by this statement, our nation wouldn't have to worry about making new laws because these problems wouldn't be there."
Stephanie Helms, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

Overstepping:
"We can no longer trust the government to put our rights first and yet it has the power to enforce laws that affect our lives directly. Laws such as the curfew laws and the helmet law are very obvious examples of the government taking away from our personal freedom. They are stepping in and making decisions that should be made by our families. What gives them the right to say what time a teenager has to get home or that a child cannot ride his bike without a helmet? The government is taking away from the parent's responsibilities, which is part of the reason that so many families are being broken apart. Parents should have a role in the rules for their children, and the government should have a role in the laws, but when the government starts deciding bedtimes, they have far overstepped their boundaries."
Tim Dale, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

Many students see that it is almost impossible to stop determined people:  
"It is ironic that many of the people who oppose…regulations are the same ones that need them the most. If it was not for our government, we would have no balance between individual liberty and the society as a whole. People would do as they please and have little regard for human existence."
Stephanie Godfrey, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

"Government regulations are positive to some extent, but there are many choices Americans should be free to make. Government should regulate the issues that harm the common good i.e. gun control, curfews, and gangs. Government should not regulate the choices Americans should be free to make i.e. seat belt laws, helmet laws, and gambling. Government should set limits on some things, but should not necessarily prohibit them i.e. smoking and teen pregnancy….The United States is thought of by other countries to be the land of opportunity and freedom, but if the government keeps prohibiting our American choices, we will lose many important opportunities and our freedom."
Susan Elizabeth Scott, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"There must be restrictions on people's actions because people are not responsible enough to think about what is appropriate or not."
Brad Wells, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"I believe the law supersedes personal freedom, to some extent. By setting broad limits on each individual law pertaining to the common good, government officials can control overall well-being, but still allow for individuals to regulate their own stricter borders without the law becoming overbearing."
Kelsey Ann Lemoine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana

"The citizens of the United States live in one of the most non-restrictive countries in the world.….Due to the willingness of the government to listen, and the eagerness of the people to speak, the government and the people have been able to survive and grow together….[But,] despite the United States government's leniency, the ideas and actions of the government and the people can, and do clash. Due to this, the government must place limitations on the rights of the citizens for the sake of maintaining a stable country."
Nicholas Lemoine, Avoyelles, High School, Moreauville, Louisiana

Many students agree:                                                                                           
"Regulation is necessary. Without it the world would be out of control."
Christine Dalton, Leonia High School, Leonia, New Jersey

"I attend…Hyndman High School and the belief I will forever stand on is having laws to maintain the world around us. I know many people have the idea that life, and how they live it, is their choice, but they don't understand how important laws really are: laws that range from traffic regulations to murders and rapists. All these topics are for the common good…and I believe in expressing my feelings toward them."
Tonya Scaife, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

"The people need someone to regulate their actions. If there were no regulation in this nation I think it would be total chaos and there would be no order."
Ronda Gottschalk, N. Underwood High, New Underwood, South Dakota

"Though the government is not always the best answer, it usually does get results."
James Kindel, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

On the other hand:
"The liberties of individuals are often violated because the government and its officials are trying to protect the community ."
Michelle Gaspard, Avoyelles, High School, Moreauville, Louisiana

"If a student truly wants to bring a gun to school they can hide it in their book bag or in bushes nearby, and a law really is not going to stop someone who truly wants to harm others."
Andrea C. Buzan, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"My personal opinion is this: if [people are] going to get the notion that they want to take a gun to a public place to do harm, not to protect themselves, [they are] having mental problems that couldn't be fixed by a regulatory law such as this anyway. If people become deranged enough to want to kill another human being, most likely they would find a way. It doesn't have to be with a bullet."
Seth Topper, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

"Would this legislation really stop the violence that seems to be plaguing the nation's schools? If a kid wanted to get a gun into a school, they could do so very easily. All in all, the law would hinder the kids very little."
Evan Johnson, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"It is already illegal for students to carry a gun in the first place. The only thing this law is going to do is stop old ladies who carry a gun to avoid getting mugged from being safe."
Tim Dale, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"Criminals will always find ways to get guns whether they are legal or not. In this country it is illegal to use and sell drugs. However, thousands of people still manage to get their hands on illegal drugs every day. Firearms would be the same way."
Seth Boyce, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"It has been proven that a law does not prohibit a certain behavior, it just makes a behavior punishable."
Kassie Hoyt, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Jessica believes the Act is about prevention, not punishment:
"Simply to cast the problem of dealing with criminals at the feet of the criminal justice system is an act of social irresponsibility, and defeatism. Given a recidivism rate among criminals, especially juvenile criminals, that is out of control in this country, it is our duty as concerned citizens to introduce legislation that will effectively work to prevent crime, rather than deal with it ex post facto….To imprison a student who has already wounded or taken the lives of any of his classmates or teachers will not restore life or health to those attacked, nor will it erase the anguish suffered by their friends and relatives. Moreover, juvenile criminals are almost never given maximum punishment, even if they are tried as adults. Many are released from the criminal justice system at the age of eighteen. Except, rather than being cured of the propensity for evil, they have become bitter, hardened and angry criminals, well prepared by their time spent among other hard-core criminals for a life of social deviance."
Jessica Powell, Leonia High School, Leonia, New Jersey

The family is suspect:
"Where you find neglect, guns, and abuse in a child's environment, you will also find a child scared and not knowing where to turn. Will he turn to television, which seems to show that violence is acceptable? Will the child turn to a video game, where the entire premise is to kill?… As adolescents struggle for freedom and independence, they do not always receive the control they yearn for…The extended family in the home is gone. Children are now left home alone to fend for themselves at younger and more tender ages. The neglect and lack of parenting or misuse of power that these kids face leaves [some of] them emotionally disturbed and…seek[ing] revenge…. since it is easy for children to obtain guns, alcohol, and drugs, they may strike back….In the case of the schoolboy massacres in Jonesboro, Arkansas, the older [perpetrator], Mitchell Johnson, was a product of a broken home. His parents had split up four years before, and he did not see much of his father. Watching a show like South Park will not turn children into violent sociopaths, but for someone like Mitchell, who spent much of his time home alone with television, this is what happened."
Rebecca Lindsay Klein, Leonia High School, Leonia, New Jersey

"The real answer does not lie with a ruling from the Supreme Court or each school district. It lies with the irresponsible parents. Are the parents around the United States going to take enough responsibility to keep their firearms away from children?"
Tom Bridge, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"The government shouldn't have to step in to protect children from children. If parents were responsible enough to bring a child into this world, they need to take further responsibility by educating their children about and keeping them away from guns. If people were made to be more personally responsible, there wouldn't be a need for government regulations concerning a multitude of social issues."
Rob Arends, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

It's not so easy when both parents or a single parent works all day:
"I believe that parents should be more involved in their children's lives. Due to the importance placed on…material items…[both] parents [often] hold a job….When parents are not home to set a good example for their children,…they often turn to the TV or their friends, where violence is looked upon as any easy way out of any situation. Parents need to spend quality time with their children and make sure that they let them know that they are always there for them if they ever have a problem. Also, if parents do own a gun or weapon, they need to make sure that their children do not have access to it. Parents… need to …protect their children….In homes where parents are often absent, children feel they have to resolve their problems on their own. If the parents are not available and guns are, then violence is seen as a way to solve problems."
Christi Cunningham, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Students feel the need to carry a gun to school because they are concerned for their own safety."
Beth Cole, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

"People may have the right to bear arms, but students have a right to their safety…. It is a child's unalienable right to be safe."
Marie A. Gonzalez, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

Will Americans exchange freedom for safety?
"Law abiding citizens…want to have reassurance that the government will keep them safe. But…will Americans give up…freedom to have this reassurance?"
Tom Bridge, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Some Americans will:
"The safety of the students must be considered more important than an individual's right to bear arms. Because I live within 1,000 feet of a school, I will be included among those that will not be permitted to have a gun in their home if this act is passed. In order to improve the common good, I am willing to surrender my right to bear arms."
Pam Williamson, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

"How can saving the lives of thousands be considered unconstitutional? Is one thousand feet too much to ask for when it comes to saving the lives of innocent children and teenagers? Teens like me. People who don't ask to be involved but are anyway, and whose lives do not even seem to be being considered. I know that if this law could save my life, I would definitely want it enacted immediately. Who knows? It may save my life and that of countless other students who attend school in fear. I have written this essay hoping to influence the minds of the people who protect me. Those who hold the lives of millions in their hands. If only a few of these words are listened to, then maybe I have--or can--save the lives of countless Americans who depend on their government to keep them safe. Maybe it will take the people who will soon be 'promoting the general welfare' of the future to change some minds."
Anna Herrin, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee

"Even [if] this law causes a couple problems, [it] should [be upheld] to protect the students…protection of students isn't done enough anyhow."
Richard R. Kopp, Meadow Bridge High, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia

"When faced with the choice of individual liberty or the lives of people…the common good should always come first."
Tammi Ramsey, New Underwood High, New Underwood, South Dakota

Some students put their hopes on tomorrow:
"I would like to see the day when it is illegal for civilians to possess guns. No child deserves the burden of worrying whether they will survive another school day. A federal law should be produced to more efficiently protect the lives of students. Gun wielding students may think twice about bringing a gun to school if they are aware that it is a federal offense….'Firearm fatalities among teens are expected to surpass auto deaths around the turn of the century.' I believe it is an obligation of our federal government to provide students with a safer environment in which to learn and grow."
Liz Toepfer, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"I hope that things can change for the better in the future. I want things to be better for my children. I know it is probably impossible for things to change, but hopefully our nation's officials can make the best decision for our county and offer us protection."
Lesley Warren, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

Randy is banking on his peers:
"I hope my generation watches and learns how to correct mistakes so that history won't repeat itself and things won't turn for the worse. That's why it's important that today's politicians to understand that they have to plan for tomorrow and not dwell on today."
Randy Hutchinson, Charles City High School, Charles City, Iowa

"Most individuals know right from wrong, but often times decide to do what they know is wrong. Laws will not change this decision-making process by these individuals. In an ideal world people would do what they know is morally right. In our real world the government must make and enforce laws to keep everyone safe."
Stephanie Helms, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

Horror stories:
"Look at the world around you: you'll see pregnant teenagers, teenagers doing drugs, teenagers killing other people and people of all ages destroying anything and everything they walk by."
Katie Schilling, Charles City High School, Charles City, Iowa

"All over America school children are being gunned down on playgrounds and in school hall [ways]…. The ones that are committing these crimes are children themselves."
Jerrod Watters, Lumberton High School, Lumberton, Texas

"The Federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention cites that firearms are responsible for more deaths to United States teenagers than all natural diseases combined, and in two recent years seventy-nine people died in shootings at schools."
Jenna Pastor, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana

"On average, more than fourteen youth each day are killed by gunshots. Many students fear violent attacks traveling to and from school as well as within school itself. This fear leads many young people to conclude mistakenly that a gun is their best means of defense."
Lindsey Stoll, Bondurant-Farrar High School, Bondurant, Iowa

"It is really sad that teen homicide is almost the leading cause of deaths among teens. That is really frightening."
Lesley Warren, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

"Many people live in fear. I want to live in a community that when you meet a person on the street you smile and comment on the weather, rather than clutch your purse and squeeze tightly on the trigger on your mace key chain. We have made our world what it is and it will take all of us to change it."
Sarah Marie McCormick, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois

Students argue for exceptions to the Constitution:
"There should be some exceptions when it comes to the rights in our Constitution. Children are these exceptions."
Courtney Simpson, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

"The Constitution was set up as a guide for the United States Government, but all situations have exceptions. Every person should have the right to own weapons, but must also be responsible for them. A child carrying a gun because it's 'cool' is not responsible enough to understand the consequences that come with handling weapons."
Carey L. Shaffer, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

"The Supreme Court needs to put our children's safety above individual's rights. Only if our children live can they be our hope for a better tomorrow."
Janet Lea Holmes, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

"Schools are a place where kids go to get an education, not die. Parents send their kids to school trusting that they will be safe there, and they should be. Children should not have to fear going to school."
Melissa Smith, New Underwood High, New Underwood, South Dakota

"School is a learning environment not a war zone."
Nathan Hart, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

"I think of the kindergartner in Chicago who recently brought a gun to school. What is that saying about our society, when a little boy knows how to use a gun before he can read?"
Whitney Cawley, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"There have been many school shootings around the country causing many children to die. What is so sad about this is that school is supposed to be safe place for students to go and learn, but it has quickly changed into where you go to school and worry whether or not your life is going to be taken that day."
Lesley Warren, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

"Students are in school to get an education, not to worry about protesting and defending themselves, which should be left up to the administration."
Lindsey M. Pounds, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

"Children should think of school as a safe place to learn, not somewhere where they must watch their every move in order not to get shot. Children bring guns for protection, when they should feel safety and warmth."
Lynndi A. Tennyson, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

"Students will become scared and won't be able to focus on the education that was being taught. The students will constantly be worried whether or not today is the day they will be killed."
Jill Tauber, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

Second-guessing the founding fathers (again):
"Back two hundred or so years ago when the founders of this nation sat around the convention with pen in hand and gun on hip, I am almost positive that they could not even imagine that guns would turn out to be such a huge problem. I can certainly understand that in these crazy days it is almost necessary to have a gun in the house for protection. It is the personal responsibility of every person to be educated on how to use their gun. The government should regulate who can get a gun, but that is also a tight rope to walk on."
David Patrick, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"They [the founding fathers] never expected a day when the Gun-Free School Zones Act would be declared unconstitutional under the principles they wrote. If Thomas Jefferson had foreseen the day when children would carry guns to school and that students would be gunned down in a classroom, he would be in shock. I also believe that he would have permitted the Gun-Free School Zones Act under the ideals he helped create. The Supreme court should not act as if it is from the time of the Revolution and has been abruptly dropped into the 1990s. The Constitution should be interpreted broadly. We need to realize that an act that would help prevent our children from being killed cannot be totally against the concepts that the Constitution was founded on."
Emily A. Rapp, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

"When our forefathers spoke of a well-trained military, they didn't envision inexpensive mass-produced revolvers being brought onto school grounds by dissident students. The question for me is not a constitutional one, but human. To approach such an issue technically is an insult to the people who are supposedly being protected by our elected officials, especially children (those under 18) who are not technically responsible for their own actions, nor accountable for foolish or immature mistakes in behavior."
Monika Sutkus, Leonia High School, Leonia, New Jersey

"One may think that it is common sense that no gun should be carried within a great distance of a school….we have the right to bear arms. This [Bill of rights] was written in a day when it took a speedy gunman thirty or forty seconds to load a single, inaccurate shot. A person could have tackled a lunatic before he or she could have fired a single round at a schoolhouse filled to the brim with twenty kids. Now a deranged person can walk down the street and from the concealment of a coat or the protection of a sliding-doored van produce a fully automatic rifle and fire ten rounds a second at a building full of a thousand unprotected school children. The courts must interpret the laws as to protect the community and its welfare."
Nicholas Swetye, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

Many students thought expedience was a good enough reason to outlaw guns:
"In many studies, it has been shown that a gun owning home is three times as likely to be the scene of a homicide. Arthur Kellermann, an emergency room doctor, said, 'If having a gun in the home was a good deterrent, then we should have seen few guns in the homes of murder victims. But we found the opposite.'"
Jenny Neslin, Hanover High School, Hanover, New Hampshire

"Recently a student brought a gun to my school. I heard that the student brought it for protection because they had been in a previous engagement with someone. If the person with the gun was nervous that day and someone just bumped into them accident[ly], the gun could have flown out and shot that clumsy person one second before they squeaked out an apology! I'm clumsy and at school I am also scared!… Something is very wrong I the home of the free where a kid can't walk free of fear on the sidewalk in front of his house and the land of the brave where I'm scared to go to school if I accidentally step on someone's toes. Guns, no matter who they help, don't belong
Katharine A. McNichols, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Students are not protected if a crazed individual brings a gun to school. The security guards do not have guns. Who will protect us? No one. We are but mere targets to this crazed individual. Security guards and some teachers should have guns. Deans and the principal should also be allowed to carry guns. That way we could be protected from the dangers of guns at school. By doing this, this crazed individual would not bring a gun to school, knowing that others also have guns and could fire back."
Yaniro Paramo, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"When teachers and students are more concerned about their safety than their education, it is hard for them to concentrate on teaching and learning. Americans cannot afford to ignore or minimize the magnitude of violence in schools. This is not a game! In five to ten years, these young people will be expected to safeguard and enhance the civil, human, political, and economic rights of the citizens of our country. The future of this nation and the kind of society that we want are at stake."
Justin M. Culver, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"It is scary to think that an [educational] facility [may also be a] killing [field]. All of this started last year with Heath High School in Paducah, Kentucky. A young man there opened fire on a group of students at their morning prayer circle….I know from my own experience that after these killings…, I was leery of returning to school after the weekend. Now, because of these [and more recent] shootings, schools have taken many precautionary actions. Most schools are not permitted to have a prayer circle and the dress code has completely changed…. Children are no longer allowed to wear over sized clothing or even at some places, [carry] back packs. People have started to watch their backs,…[afraid] that they might be threatened by a gun, or possibly shot."
Sarah Marie McCormick, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois

"Perhaps allowing firearms in school will deter kids from bringing them for a 'rush' or to disobey a law. Based on personal experience I can state it is exciting to disobey the law...of course you must get away with it."
Matt Hartman, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Some alternate suggestions:
"If you take all the handguns, rifles, anything that shoots bullets of any type away, it is not going to stop the violence. If a person is really serious about killing someone, he is going to do it regardless of what laws say…The killings at school are scary happenings… I wish that we would look more into the reasons behind the killings. Not just how they did it; but why.…I know that Congress is trying to protect the common good of the people, but taking away firearms is not going to solve it. I believe that gun control is not the problem; it is society that is behind a loaded gun."
Jennifer Winter, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"If you want to stop the crime, why not create a law aimed at the criminal?"
Tim Dale, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"The only way to keep guns from entering our schools is to keep them from being available to children and, even more important, keep the desire to bring them out of the mind of the children."
Joseph A. Facchina, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"What I suggest about the gun issue is to pass a law on the misuse of handguns, not the possession of one."
Abel Alvarado, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"The Gun Free School Zones Act should have been passed so our children are protected while they are at school. But side by side with that act should be education and prevention attempts made to teach children early on the importance of respect and safety, instead of condoning violence as a way to resolve conflicts."
Cari Sanchez, Salem High School, Salem, Ohio

"[The Gun-Free School Zones Act] is unnecessary because the states already have laws regulating guns at schools. Therefore, if the laws enacted by the people's representatives are enforced, then no new laws are needed. In addition, this gives the people more freedom because they have a voice in the laws that are made and the courts and police enforce them."
Jessica Sullivan, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas

"By allowing the state to decipher whether schools should be gun free or not, allows people to dictate what is right for their community. It also gives more responsibility to the community."
Abby Hildreth, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"Local governments need to focus on local issues such as gun control in schools."
Sandy Golden, Lumberton High School, Lumberton, Texas

"Carrying a gun to or from school should be dealt with by the school districts and their officials."
Shirley Gay, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia

"I feel that individual rights and community welfare can only be properly satisfied at a local level…. A national or even state level does not possess the means to properly fulfill the specific needs of each unique community and the citizens residing therein."
Chris Tallina, Lumberton High School, Lumberton, Texas

"State and local governments and school districts have to put their efforts into creating separate mandates. Each area of the nation has a different rate of gun-related school crime, and this law may not have been tough enough, or in some cases too tough, to use as a national code. There does need to be an anti-gun law for all schools, but it should be an individual privilege of each school to decide what fits their current situation."
Melissa Melohn, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"The [federal] government can see how the individual and the community should be balanced for the nation as a whole but every small town and every city is going to be a little different. If the police and the courts had this right then they could balance the rights like they should be within their own areas. This would give every town and city the rights that it needs to be safe."
Jamie Schmidt, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

April makes the same point- with perhaps a little more color:
"Situations are distinct in different states or even different cities and towns. Why not let those different communities' city councils or the state government decide what is best for their own domain? In big cities, they have murders and robberies every day. In a small town like ours, the worst thing that happens is maybe someone left their car lights on, or somebody's dog got off the chain and terrorized all the other dogs around town."
April Hite, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Amy has two concerns; (1) Local law may appear less important than federal law:
"The bad thing about the Supreme Court's ruling is that now, since they voted against a Gun-Free School Zone Act, it will be up to the schools to make those rules and that might not seem as powerful to students."
Amy J. Nieland, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

And (2) It seems like it is ok to bring guns to school:
"The Supreme Court's ruling is another reason for people to argue about the gun laws in schools because it is indirectly saying that it is not wrong to have guns around school.."
Amy J. Nieland, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

Jimmy, below, shares Amy's concern:                                     
"Declaring this law unconstitutional is just an invitation for children to bring guns to school."
Jimmy Bowling, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois

Andrea has a concern of her own:
"Handguns are more lethal than a lit cigarette in the sense that a handgun can kill anyone faster than cigarette smoke ever will. Yet, the Supreme Courts allow[s] the states to set up their own regulations concerning the control of guns in a school zone."
Andrea Reedy, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

The Act was useless anyway:
"The Supreme Court's ruling against the Gun-Free School Zones Act was a just one….The government cannot legislate morality and those who were there to kill would pay no attention to the gun-free school zone. It could help the police officers to arrest those carrying guns on campus and it could help prevent further gun-related killings at school, but the overall result would have no change. That is an issue where people must take a personal responsibility."
Chantel, Skelton, Avoyelles, High School, Moreauville, Louisiana

"If one was to look at the facts, they would realize…a student is only going to tell other students that he has a gun at school. Due to fear, the students that possess this knowledge are not going to tell an adult. Consequently the act may be hard to enforce and may be useless."
Angela Smith, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia

Some students seem to think the Court should be in the protection business.
"When given the opportunity to pass the Gun-Free Zones Act, a program that would reduce the number of firearms in schools, the Supreme Court refused….They…believed that the enforcement of the law would lead to more trouble then it was actually worth. The regulation of school gun possession would lead to a national police state and several other problems. In other words, the passing of the law would require a lot of hassle and red tape. Rather than working through this or reaching some sort of compromise, they merely refused it. This decision angers me. All proposals with the intention of protecting young children should be enforced….The Supreme Court should have tried everything possible in order to spare innocent children from dying."
Lena Maldonado, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

But it is not the court's role. We elect legislators to make law via debate and compromise.
"There should be…informed people [discussing] the issues…This is the reason that I think the House and Senate should be the ones who decide the balance between individual liberty and community welfare."
Chris Weatherly, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"I feel that the legislatures of our country should decide what freedoms are to be compromised and the police and courts should enforce their decisions. No matter how much our nation complains about our government officials, one must remember those officials were elected by the majority. Usually the government does try to act reasonably and I think their decisions are made with the nation's best interest in mind."
Bradley Leydig, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

Chris attempts, in the excerpt below, to show what happens too often when, even reasoned debate, is substituted for judgment with reference to an absolute standard:
"Many [individuals] are expressing their beliefs so strongly that the indifference plaguing [others] is allowing those with the louder mouth to prevail….A group of two with an aspiration of making the world a better place and some media coverage, can challenge the rights of the majority. Even if the people who want to keep the rights set up for us are a minority, are they allowed to be stripped of those permanently given inalienable rights?"
Chris Piatt, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

No easy answers:                                                      
"When it comes to guns, pornography, and teenage sex, there are no easy answers. They can't be dumbed down, prettied up, or put aside. The can only be looked as dire problems within our society that need to be solved as quickly as possible. Many have looked to regulations. Others have counted on personal responsibility. The answer lies in between; a fine line between balancing personal liberty and the common good….The solution to all three lies with the promotion of personal responsibility….young adults need to know the consequences of picking up that gun, renting that video, and forgetting that condom."
Rob Lackey, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Today the obvious answer is adult responsibility and self discipline. The position of the law and its protectors does not amount to anything if the people of the country are not willing to accept the law for what it represents."
Elizabeth Osborne, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Regardless of the law that is enacted, if there is no personal responsibility evident on the part of the citizens then it will fail. Those that choose to go against the law must be held accountable for [their] choices if we are to have a functioning society.' It is crucial that the police and the justice system do their part, but again, it all comes down to personal responsibility on the part of the people."
Jayma Roten, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas

We must speak out, according to Danielle:
"Every person has the responsibility to stand up for what is right. If the system allows, people should demonstrate wrongs peacefully. In our system it is easy to demonstrate against wrongs. If people take it too far and use violence, then the police protect people by stopping it. Some people think that is oppression. True oppression would not allow people to demonstrate in the first place. Individuals cannot allow others to determine what is right or wrong. The police and courts cannot be allowed to have free reign in determining right or wrong. They do not always have a grasp of the individual aspects of every case, and sometimes they may be racist or prejudiced. In the end it is the people who must speak up and voice their desires in government. Because our government is founded on democracy, the individual has the ability to make her desires known. That is the best way to effect change and voice opinions about what is right or wrong….
   In a democracy an individual must express his or her views to maintain freedom because each individual's opinion helps determine the laws and rules that we live by. If a person wants to effect change in the system, a person must protest what is wrong and support what is right." Danielle Solie, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

Other students agree:
"Nothing will improve if people stay silent. People need to push for stronger gun control laws and stiffer punishments for minors who commit major crimes. Saying and standing up for what you believe in is not a crime and no one will look at you differently for trying to make a pleasant change for the American people."
Sarah Marie McCormick, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois

"All of us; law-makers, law-obeyers, and law-breakers should have our voices heard. If people could participate more with the government's decisions I believe we could have the potential to be a harmonious society."
Ariel Walters, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"The only way to obtain what the public wants is if everyone has a voice and contributes to the debate. That is the personal responsibility of everyone."
Adam Prestegard, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Personal responsibility and the common good seem to go hand and hand. Without responsibility there is no order in the community and it falls apart. [To ensure] the common good, there has to be personal responsibility."
Benji Lehman, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois

"Americans shouldn't take their own freedoms away, so how are Americans going to be protected from the Timothy McVays of the world? We must work to prevent the crimes from ever happening. Woodrow Wilson said, 'Sometimes people call me an idealist. Well, that is the way I know I am an American…America is the only idealistic nation in the world.' It does sound very idealistic to say the United States must keep people from committing crimes. Yet there are some things that the government can do to prevent crimes. The government must work to improve the inner cities that leave children with no choice but to break the law to survive; must work to break up the prisons that in effect make criminals stronger and more hardened. In these prisons we are training our criminals to be more effective. Is that was we want? Instead we must try our best to train our criminals to contribute to society. Currently we release criminals with no hope for a job. They are forced back into crime. If we would do these things to prevent crime, there would no need to remove personal liberty. Whatever method we pick to reduce crime, we must never choose to take away freedoms such the right to own a gun. Though assault weapons are without purpose and should be illegal, pistols used for personal protection and weapons used for hunting should never be regulated. The Supreme Court was justified in its ruling against the Gun-Free School Zones Act. We must teach children to be responsible with guns not try and destroy the gun's existence.
   Gun control, prisons, and crime are all sensitive issues. They affect our families and us every day. There will be many debates in future years as new technologies are developed and old issues continue to be fought over. As George Washington said in his Inaugural Address, America is 'the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.' It is our duty through our courts and our votes to decide on these issues. Will we maintain our freedom or destroy it to be safe? Instinctively we want to protect ourselves, but we must remember many have died to give us these freedoms; so we must take the small risk of death for the great reward of freedom."
Luke Hall, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois