Iowa City schools to educate families on safely storing firearms

IOWA CITY — Iowa City school officials will be educating families and community members about securely storing firearms in an effort to prevent accidental shootings, suicides and violence on school grounds.

The Iowa City school board last week approved a resolution that requires the district to send a letter to families each year about the importance of secure gun storage and the legal obligation to protect minors from accessing guns.

The letter will require a parent or guardian’s signature acknowledging awareness of secure gun storage responsibilities.

The school board and superintendent also will continue working with law enforcement agencies, health agencies and nonprofits to inform community members about safely storing guns in homes.

A parent group, Moms Demand Action in Iowa City, asked the school board to support secure gun storage by providing information and programs.

“Gun violence among school-age children is a safety concern for all of us,” Dr. Cecilia Norris of Iowa City, a member of the group, told school board members in December.

“We can start addressing it by agreeing everyone has a right to obtain and own a gun legally,” she said. “We can also agree that it is an adult responsibility to ensure students feel safe and secure in school settings in order for them to learn and thrive.”

District officials hope the resolution helps prevent unintentional shootings, suicide and gun violence on school grounds.

Nationally, around 350 children unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else every year, and 70 percent of those incidents take place inside a home, according to the resolution.

On school grounds, 75 percent of “active shooters” are students or recent graduates of the school, and up to 80 percent of shooters under the age of 18 obtain their guns from their home or the home of a family member or friend, according to the resolution.

"The most important and effective responsibility for preventing gun violence lies with adults to keep all firearms locked and unloaded at home and cars,“ said Lo Whittington, an Iowa City resident and member of Moms Demand Action.

The resolution is “not a stance on owning guns,” school board member Ruthina Malone said. “It’s about educating our families and students about firearm safety.”

“We read a lot about accidental shootings in the home where children may find an unattended gun, and if that prevents one of these instances here in Iowa City, I would greatly appreciate it,” Malone said.

When her own children were young and going to friends’ homes, Malone said she would have conversations with her children and the families about whether there was a firearm in the house and if it was stored securely and the ammunition stored separately.

“It’s important families have that as a normal part of getting to know other families,” Malone said.

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