COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Board of Education will be meeting Thursday morning to discuss potentially implementing a public safety announcement on safe gun storage.
Thursday’s meeting will discuss the use of the Be SMART campaign in Columbia Public Schools. The Be SMART campaign was launched by Everytown for Gun Safety to promote responsible gun ownership and reduce child gun deaths.
In addition to the Be SMART campaign, the board will also discuss a safe gun storage resolution and a community-wide PSA about safe gun storage. The resolution to be proposed in the board meeting recognizes that Missouri does not have firearm secure storage laws.
According to Be SMART, roughly 360 children 17-years-old and under unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else each year. The resolution states that secure firearm safety is an effective strategy to keep schools and students safe.
If the resolution is approved by the board, CPS would update the student handbook, send letters to parents and continue to work with law enforcement about securing firearms in homes.
The Columbia Board of Education will meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Aslin Administration Building on Worley St.