CHRISTIANSBURG – The Montgomery County School Board has voted unanimously to pass a resolution promoting the safe storage of guns.
During the April 9, 2024 school board meeting, MCPS Superintendent Dr. Bernard Bragen, Jr. said 4.7 million American children live in households with guns. By passing this resolution, MCPS will now take action to notify parents of their responsibility to store firearms safely.
“As educators, our main priority is keeping our children and staff safe,” Bragen said. “If there’s a way to be proactive and potentially save lives, it’s worth looking into. Passing this resolution will help us remind our parents and guardians how important it is to keep firearms away from children.”
“I’m proud of our efforts to raise awareness of gun safety and the impact it has on our students,” MCPS School Board Chair Linwood Hudson said. “Keeping our students safe is our top priority, and this resolution highlights that keeping kids safe from guns is a responsibility shared throughout our community. I’d like to see more awareness of this issue across the county, but this resolution is a good start. I want to thank Dr. Bragen and his administration for making this a priority. “
With the approval of this resolution, MCPS will communicate with parents to remind them of how to keep firearms safe from children. MCPS is not alone in its mission. The district is committed to working with local and national agencies to increase awareness of gun storage through various communication efforts.
According to Virginia Code 18.2-56.2., “it shall be unlawful for any person to recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger the life or limb of any child under the age of 14. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.”
Montgomery County Public Schools