Dear San Diego County Members of Congress and State Legislators, 

Now is your time to listen. Now is your time to act. As San Diego County students, we call on San Diego local representatives to support the gun reform fight. We ask you to use your platform to fight for stricter gun laws and regulations. 

For over 54 million K-12 students within the United States, school is a means of growth, learning, companionship, mentorship, and advancement from poverty. The mass school shootings at Columbine High School, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and now Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas will continue to haunt students and their pursuit of education. 

The staunch reality is that gun violence is an epidemic that will further cost lives. The staunch reality is that the United States allows for the purchase of assault rifles at grocery stores. 

Do not let us correlate school with fatal attacks. Do not allow us to associate education with experiencing violence. Do not choose guns over your children. 

School is not a choice. But supporting universal background checks for firearm purchases is a choice. Supporting “Red Flag” laws that allow law enforcement officials to confiscate guns from people who display signs of violence is a choice. 

We call for stricter gun control so that we are not afraid to sit in History class. So that we are not afraid to go to recess. So that we are not afraid to learn. 

Supporting assault weapon bans to prohibit the weapons that shooters use is a choice. Now is our time to try to fight for gun control. Now is your time to represent us. We can no longer be reactionary to these tragedies. Preventative gun control and regulation must permeate the United States. 

Sincerely, 

Students of San Diego County