It has been 5 years since the worst mass school shooting in Florida’s history at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

On February 14, 2018, a 19-year old  entered the campus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School armed with a legally purchased AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a Smith & Wesson M&P 15, and multiple 10-round magazines. No metal detectors were used at that school. Around 2:21 PM that afternoon, he managed to kill 17 people and injured 17 more in only 7 minutes. 

Since that catastrophic, heart-breaking, and soul-destroying day, several new laws have been passed to restrict the easy access to guns. These include banning bump stocks (which had never been used in any U.S. school shooting from 1990-2020) and allowing law enforcement to temporarily disarm potentially violent people. These new laws are good steps in a positive direction to help keep kids safe in schools. Still, school shootings have continued to occur frequently. Examples are:

 

1.      April 30, 2019 at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Charlotte, NC;

2.      May 7, 2019 at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Highlands Ranch, CO; 

3.      November 14, 2019 at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, CA; 

4.      August 27, 2021 at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill, PA; 

5.      September 20, 2021 at Heritage High School in Newport News, VA; 

6.      October 6, 2021 at Mansfield Timberview High School in Arlington, TX; 

7.      October 17, 2021 at Grambling State University in Grambling, LA; 

8.      November 30, 2021 at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, MI; 

9.      April 22, 2022 at Edmund Burke School in Washington, D.C.;  and

10.  May 24, 2022 at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX.

 

There have been several other shootings as well. The continuation of this violent epidemic in schools is partially due the fact there has never been a comprehensive, independent, and nonpartisan scholarly study on a national level to universally define and research how best to prevent school gun violence. My 2023 EDUCATION journal article, “Reviewing and Updating the Documented Historical Reports on School Shootings: New Strategies to Help Save Lives on Campuses” examines the commonly accepted conclusions about school shootings, namely, easy underage and illegal gun access; how schools are being protected daily; and how communities and law enforcement can collaborate to develop more customized solutions to disrupt the juvenile/social patterns that too often lead to school gun violence.

Student and teacher victims of gun violence deserve better. Grieving friends, siblings, parents, and grandparents of these victims of gun violence deserve better. Our nation prides itself on freedom, democracy, and the “pursuit of happiness” and our citizens all deserve better!

Gun rights groups have fought against scholarly research on school gun violence at the state and national level because they do not want public funding to go to such research. As a result, they have pressured lawmakers to restrict funding for any gun violence preventative studies. It is easier to blame other industries that have nothing/little to do with school gun violence, such as violent video games, music, movies, and bump stocks, than to conduct properly funded and peer-reviewed research to separate fact from fiction and find practical workable solutions.

Thus, I propose introducing a $.01 excise tax on every bullet sold to civilians who are not military or law enforcement personnel for one full calendar year. That revenue can go into a school gun violence research fund. According to a 2013 Reuters report, Americans buy some 10 billion to 12 billion bullets every year. A $.01 excise tax on every bullet sold could potentially raise $100 million to $120 million for scholarly research on school gun violence, its causes and how to prevent it. This research would not impact anyone’s lawful 2nd Amendment rights, but rather explore community-centered solutions that can help prevent the emotional conflict among young people from escalating into tragic gun violence at home, in schools, and their neighborhoods. Thus, here we urge everyone to take the following action: 

1.      Sign this petition to support funding a comprehensive, independent, and nonpartisan scholarly study on school gun violence with a $.01 excise tax on every bullet sold to civilians who are not military or law enforcement personnel.

2.      Encourage the governors of Florida and Virginia (my former and current home states) to take the lead on this legislation by sending the following important message on their social media accounts:

“Dear Governor, Please support funding scholarly school gun violence research with a $.01 excise tax on every bullet sold to civilians!  #TakeTheLead #1CentBulletTax #StopSchoolShootings”

 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' social media pages are:

• Facebook: @GovRonDeSantis
• Twitter: @GovRonDeSantis
• Instagram: @flgovrondesantis

 

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's social media pages are:

• Facebook: @GlennYoungkin
• Twitter: @TeamYoungkin
• Instagram: @glennyoungkin

 

3.      Locate and write to your own elected officials via www.usa.gov/elected-officials and ask them to support a $.01 excise tax on every bullet sold to civilians who are not military or law enforcement personnel for one year, the revenue of which will go to a school gun violence research fund.

 

4.      Vote in every election for officials who openly and publicly support scholarly school gun violence research.

 

PLEASE help me get the word out to all our elected officials and share this campaign on your  own social media platforms. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU to all who are helping in our fight to prevent future acts of gun violence in schools. We are One Nation! Together, we will persevere and succeed in this effort.