Question: I recently resigned my position as a middle school teacher because I was shot at by a student. What is your position on school violence, and how do you propose to help remedy the problem?
Submitted from Julie of Sellersburg, Indiana through iVillage.com (10/06/00)
Answer from Al Gore:
Everyone Should Feel Safe In School
Julia, of course, I want to first express my shock and disappointment at what happened to you.
Your decision to teach was a valiant one, and your decision to resign is certainly understandable. Our nation will need more and more teachers over the next decade. We can never hope to meet our recruitment needs if teachers are forced to worry about their safety or fear for their lives.
We need to make all of our schools safe and gun-free. We've seen too many tragedies in our schools in the last couple of years.
First of all, I think parents need to take responsibility and teach their kids the difference between right and wrong, and I think it's time to put character, discipline and safety first in every classroom. We need to increase our commitment to after-school programs so children have a place to learn during those afternoon hours when most juvenile crime occurs. I believe we should create a School Responsibility Day in every school, at the beginning of every school year so there is better communication between parents and teachers about what standards are appropriate and how they should be enforced.
I don't believe there's a right to carry a concealed weapon in our society, and I don't believe there's ever a right to carry a gun into a school or any school-related event. I will raise the minimum age of gun possession from 18 to 21, require a photo license ID for all new handguns, and close loopholes that allow young people to purchase firearms at gun shows.
No teacher or student should ever have to worry about safety in school.
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