Kent City Council plans to send letter to legislatures addressing gun violence
RECENT GUN VIOLENCE ISSUES HAVE BEEN A TOPIC TO MANY. THE KENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING EXPRESSED THEIR INTEREST IN KEEPING THE KENT SCHOOL DISTRICT SAFE AND FREE OF GUN VIOLENCE. TV2’S STARR BODI HAS THE STORY.
With school shootings becoming more of a concern for parents and faculty, the Kent City Hall council want to reassure the City of Kent residents.
Before adjourning their meeting Wednesday after adopting all legislation, the council proposed the idea to send a letter to state and federal legislatures, urging them to do something about gun violence.
“I think that we have an opportunity to speak to them directly through a letter, perhaps, asking for immediate action and legislation to address the violence that’s occurring and we can all assume is going to occur again,” said Councilwoman Gwen Rosenberg.
Rosenberg motioned for the council to discuss, in the next committee meeting, writing the letter to the legislatures asking them to “immediately address the threat of gun violence” in the Kent community.
Upon further discussion, Councilman Garret Ferrara amended the motion and said they should have City Manager Dave Rullerto write it.
“It’s a great plan of action and I think we don’t need to discuss ad nauseam at a committee meeting to get the action we want to really come out of it, which is the letter saying we want the action right away,” Ferrara said.
Rosenberg said she’s heard from residents and students who expressed “very real concern” for their safety and well-being.
Don Williams, a resident from the City of Kent, attended the meeting with his 12-year-old son and said it was “decent.”
“There’s some points that I did not like as far as gun control and the protection for my son in school,” Williams said.
Although a letter to the legislatures would be good, another letter should be written to parents as well, Williams said.
“Because there’s a lot of parents that are not wanting to send their kids to school on account of what’s going on,” he said.
After a student at Jackson Memorial Middle School fired a gun in the school, sustaining a self-inflicting injury, Williams said a lot of parents he knows did not want to send their kids to school the next day.
So far in 2018, 18 school shootings occurred, sparking conversation about gun control, gun violence and what can be done.
“Because the parents need reassurance,” Williams said. “They really do.”
Councilwoman Tracy Hallach said in light of recent events with the Parkland shooting, the letter should “correctly label” the shootings as terrorist attacks so more action can be taken.
“I hate to say this, but if it were a Muslim guy that shot those kids up, this whole country would be on that situation in a second,” Hallach said. “But because it’s a white kid shooting it up we’re not willing to label that as a terrorist attack, which it is.”
Councilman John Kuhar said that aside from the issue of protecting students in schools, some attention should be brought to the effect violent video games have on children.
“I’m all for freedom of this and freedom of that, but these video games are so realistic… so there’s something bigger than just protecting kids in school out there that we have to do, and I don’t know if we’re capable of doing it,” Kuhar said.
Williams agreed with Kuhar about video games playing a part in gun violence.
“I agree with him as far as that the games we play now – that kids are – that’s all they do,” Williams said. “They shoot things up and they try to kill as much as possible.”
After the meeting, Rosenberg made clear her intent for writing the letter, as it pertains to students with frustrations about what’s not being done.
“Yes, it’s a difficult issue, but we’re all elected officials and it’s our job to discuss difficult issues civilly and come to a resolution and pass some laws that protect everybody,” Rosenberg said.
The Kent City Hall council are planning on getting a letter sent to the state and federal legislatures asking them to address gun violence in Kent, OH. https://t.co/R2qi7teNZE
— Tierra Thomas (@TierrasPen) February 22, 2018
Kent City Council is raising awareness in regards to recent gun violence issues. Check out my story. #JMCRPP https://t.co/Yr0k5UdX6f
— Starr Bodi (@StarrBodi) February 22, 2018
