The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution promoting safe firearm storage on Tuesday, and high schoolers made it happen.
R. J. Reynolds and Reagan High School students attended Board of Education meetings throughout April, advocating for a safe gun storage resolution.
They’re part of a group called Students Demand Action, which is a national organization of young activists fighting gun violence.
When their proposed resolution made it onto the agenda, Superintendent Tricia McManus commended them.
“You all had a vision for what you wanted to achieve. You came here, you did things the right way. You spoke up in a positive, convincing way," McManus said. "And you stayed at it until we said, 'You know what? We need to listen.'”
The resolution states that the school board and superintendent are committed to collaborating with local law enforcement and health agencies to educate parents about the risks associated with improper firearm storage.
Reynolds High Schooler Rae Rackley was one of eight students who presented the document.
“This resolution is a beam of hope in a nation that's plagued by gun violence, which has been perpetuated by our political polarization," Rackley said. "So I just want to emphasize that in this resolution, people both liberal and conservative have come together to ensure that our parents are educated about storing their guns safely to protect us.”
Several people spoke in support of the resolution during public comment, including Adam Cartwright, a senior at Mount Tabor High School where a student was shot and killed in 2021.
“I have two younger siblings myself, and I certainly wouldn't want them to go through what I did on that dreaded day," Cartwright said. "The secure storage resolution is a step in the right direction in making our schools a much safer environment.”
The resolution states that the district will be responsible for posting secure gun storage information online and communicating the importance of this strategy with families of WS/FCS students.
Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.