Chris Reykdal: Treat gun violence like a health epidemic

The same day as the school shooting at Santa Fe High School that was described as a “30-minute nightmare,” Washington state’s superintendent of public instruction released an uncensored statement criticizing the nation’s gun violence problem.

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“WE HAVE A GUN PROBLEM! Say it out loud. Gun density equals higher suicides and homicides – fact! It’s not, Common Core, it’s not building exits, it’s not special education, or any other NRA-defending apologist bull … It’s gun density, and we can address this with courage!” Superintendent Chris Reykdal tweeted.

But what can we actually do to prevent these kinds of shootings?

Reydal says districts need to further fund school safety. That means investing in resource officers and mental health specialists. However, the problem should not weigh solely on the shoulders of school districts.

He believes the country should treat the crisis as a health epidemic, like smoking or drinking alcohol.

“We put age-appropriate restrictions on things that we know are public health risks because we don’t want it in the hands of youth,” Reykdal explained. “When children are murdering other children we have a crisis and the research suggests it’s about gun density.”

Like any other law, he knows people will break gun laws.

“It’s about reasonable and meaningful sanctions when we do break the law,” he said. “Most people are law-abiding. When you say no access to guns for people under the age of 21, I think they’re going to follow the law.”

Gun violence in schools just part of the story

Parents of children who commit acts of gun violence should also be held responsible when appropriate, he says. If the child obtains the gun from his or her home and it wasn’t properly locked away, those parents should face prosecution.

But gun violence in schools is just one aspect of the crisis in the country. Reykdal says suicide is part of a bigger story. According to the state, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Washington residents ages 10 to 24. Firearms are the leading method of suicide.

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As for the comments he’s made on social media about gun violence, Reykdal is not apologetic.

“Children are murdering other children right now because they have such easy access to guns. There is mental health crisis around the world. There are kids accessing video games around the world. There is depression, anxiety, and mental health around the world. No other country comes close to the murder and suicide epidemic that we have because of such easy access to tools that do it.”

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