Oklahoma Schools to Introduce Shotgun Training and Education Program (STEP) for Students

[Johnny Rico]

http://www.guns.com/oklahoma-shotgun-training-education-program-step-school-8071.html

Schools in the Sooner State are keenly aware of what their students want. And what is it that students want? Well, increased access to outdoor related activities, including: archery, bow hunting, hunter safety, shotgun sports, and fishing. In an effort to meet these demands – in particular the growing demand for shotgun sports - the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is rolling out its Shotgun Training and Education Program (STEP) for schools that have had success with other disciplines, i.e. archery or bow hunting, but have not yet fully embraced shotgun sports.

According to the Wildlife Dept., the STEP program offers a broad range of learning opportunities for beginners as well as experienced hunters with special emphasis on teaching basic wing-shooting techniques and fundamentals. The program projects a positive image toward hunting and general acceptance of responsible gun ownership.

To integrate STEP, the Wildlife Dept. is using the widely successful ‘Archery in The Schools’ program as a framework. Currently, there are 310 schools that participate in the archery program. As a result, thousands of students often go on to compete in annual archery competitions, including regional and state competitions.

But the ‘Archery in The Schools’ program isn’t just about promoting archery, but the other outdoor disciplines associated with it, as Colin Berg, information and education coordinator for the Wildlife Dept. explained to Kelly Bostian of Tulsa World. "Of the 310 in Archery in the Schools, 100 taught hunter education this year, 63 of those taught the Explore Bowhunting curriculum and 40 taught fishing," Berg said. By adding STEP into the mix, the overall objective is to have as many schools participating in as many outdoor-related activities as possible.



(more at link)

[LARED]

1. It's a great idea. nt

[Common Sense Party]

2. Three cheers. I wish my state would get into that.

[Glaug-Eldare]

3. I had archery in elementary school, it was a blast.

Sounds good to me, so long as anything involving arms (including bows) is strictly opt-in with parental consent, closely supervised, and heavy on safety instruction. Reminds me of a slightly-related bill we had here a few years ago that would mandate gun safety education in public schools -- passed both houses of the GA, then got vetoed by the governor because he didn't want anybody talking about guns in school unless he could tell them exactly what to say. Let kids get their safety education from TV and video games...


EDIT: The first arrow I ever shot was a bulls-eye. I never got another one.

[tularetom]

4. Fantastic idea

We tried to get a hunter safety course into our HS when out kids were there and we had a lot of support for the idea. Ultimately, however, it was shot down by the district's legal counsel, on liability and risk grounds.

[southernyankeebelle]

5. They shouldn't be doing that in school. If people want that they should take it through the state

and pay for it. Wildlife Department in Tn has classes. In my son's class on Health they took a class on shooting. At the end they were going out side to shoot. They sent home permission slips. We were pretty upset about it. My husband went to the school and talked with the principle about it. He told him before you taught the class they should have sent a form that could have the student to opt out. My husband said he wasn't going to sign any permission slip. He was the only one that didn't get to shoot. He had to go but while they were shooting he sat back and had a great time laughing and having a good time. But why do they need to take this course when the already teach in outside of the school. I am willing to bet that they didn't teach anything about birth control.

[spin]

6. Nothing wrong in my opinion with the course but I would also like to see ...

all high school kids have to pass a first aid class.

[southernyankeebelle]

10. I think parents should have a right to opt out of the class if they don't want their children going

to that class. This isn't the wild outback.

[gejohnston]

11. what does wild outback have to do with it?

I knew this guy that thought anyplace outside of Brooklyn was the "wild outback".
How about if they were playing football? Football kills more kids than skeet or target shooting. That is before you get to head injuries etc.

[southernyankeebelle]

12. Look it is the way how I feel. You are entitled to feel your way. I don't want to change your

mind. I just don't want anyone to tell me I have to take a class I don't want to. Period. I don't think it belongs in a school. I have no problem with going to a course that you pay for yourself to off school grounds that is why they are there for you to take and pay for on your own. Personally I just wish the school would teach the basics. Math, reading and writing. The basics The other half go home.

[eqfan592]

13. I have no problem with this sort of thing being in the schools.

Schools are too much about the basics as it is, and we need to get back to a broader education system. Also, where did it state that these programs were mandatory? I honestly didn't see it mentioned, so if I missed it, please point it out, because I agree I don't think they should be mandatory.

[southernyankeebelle]

17. I am telling you it happened in my son's high school. They were teaching about shooting in his

health class. I didn't feel it belonged in that class. We weren't told about it until they sent home form for us to sign to allow him to shoot a rifle. That is when we heard about it. We were shocked because they never sent a form requesting in the first place if he could take that class. We would have asked him to opt out. Although he went with the class he didn't shoot the gun. He was alright with it. The next year they dropped the class on shooting. I don't even know how long the class was. But I don't think it was long enough. If my son wanted to take a course I would have sent him where the professionals taught the class. They have courses you can take and then get your hunting license.

[gejohnston]

18. Health class?

I can see sex ed in health, guns should be in PE unless you are talking about how to secure it until an adult shows up and not play with it.

[southernyankeebelle]

25. Yep, that is where they taught this activity without the parents permission. We didn't know until

they sent a permission slip home to allow him to fire the rifle. That was a no no for us.

[gejohnston]

27. not letting him fire the rifle?

what did they learn in the health class? Safety (which I could see taught in Health) or marksmanship (which is in PE).

[southernyankeebelle]

28. I don't want my son learning about rifles in school, period.

[oneshooter]

29. Then where would you want him to learn?

Are you willing to pay for him to learn at a private range?

[southernyankeebelle]

39. They have classes here in our rural local area. Yes I would be willing to pay. If you can afford

to spend money on a rifle and bullets then surely you can afford to pay for the class.

[badtoworse]

30. Ignorance about how to safely handle firearms is more dangerous than receiving proper training.

You weren't doing your son any favors by not allowing him to get the instruction.

[southernyankeebelle]

38. That is your opinion and I have mine. Neither one is wrong. Its the way you look at it things.

My son is 31 yrs old and is doing pretty good. He does have a gun at his own house. I told him to leave it there.

[badtoworse]

46. Here is something to consider

You say he has a gun in his house, but has he had any training at all? If he has not, that is a bad situation, at least in my opinion, and he should find some local venue and get trained in proper firearms safety. I have owned and used firearm for pretty much my whole life and I have seen poorly trained people do stupid and dangerous things with firearms. That is how many tragic accidents occur. One of my cousins was accidently shot and killed by his brother when they were "horsing around" with a gun they did not think was loaded. I'm not sure about the level of training they had, but it was clearly inadequate. Seriously, if you son hasn't had any training, you should encourage him to get some.

In my own case, I was taught firearms safety in high school starting at age 14. I went to Xavier HS in NYC which had a junior ROTC program at the time. We were taught by US Army instructors, both in the classroom and on the range. We had to qualify (shoot 70 out of a possible 100) each year. While good shooting technique was taught, the main focus was on safety. I still practice what I learned in that course about 45 years ago.

You are opposed to kids learning firearms safety, but keep in mind that you can't control the environment they are in 24/7. They may find themselves in the company of other kids that have firearms, either legally or illegally. They may be in an environment where firearms are in use and sometimes weapons are just "found". Proper training would allow them to recognize danger and act before they or someone else is injured or killed. If nothing else, they should know how to safely check if a gun is loaded and to treat any gun as loaded until they've personally confirmed that it is not. (Even then, I'm still careful so I don't get careless).

I'm a strong believer in the right to keep and bear arms, but I'm an equally strong believer in gun safety. That comes with training.

[southernyankeebelle]

47. Iam a strong believer in training if you must have a gun. I think my son went to a class

here at the local game place or whatever it is called. My brother-in-law was a long time hunter. Deer, Elk, mountain lion (small cat I guess that is what you call them). He got that mounted in his home. Mountain cat is not on the wall (LOL) but he was hanging around. Just that split second and bam he died. It happens to the most experienced.

Like I said I see no problem you hunting for your food to feed your family.

[gejohnston]

14. I understand as part of a regular class

that should be reserved for academics. How about as elective, like photography classes? As part of a JROTC class? Extracurricular activity or rifle team? When and where I went to school, we had to have two extracurricular activities to graduate (mine were rifle club, Key Club, and school newspaper. No, I was not the editor. My brother did rifle club and rodeo team.) Or as a athletic team?

[PavePusher]

16. The fundies love you. n/t

[spin]

20. The sad part is that with 300,000,000 firearms in the hands of 80,000,000 gun owners ...

an extremely high percentage of children in the United States will eventually be exposed to firearms. It may be less likely in areas of the nation such as New York City or Chicago but in many other areas such as Florida, firearms are very common.

Because of the media glorification of firearms in movies and on TV, these weapons hold a deadly attraction especially for teenagers. The entertainment industry does not teach people how to safely handle a firearm and in fact show actors who often display a total disregard for basic firearm safety.

Firearm safety classes can and do save lives just as educating high school children on birth control can prevent unwanted pregnancies.

You personally may not want your children to learn firearm safety because you might fear that they will develop an interest in the shooting sports. Other parents may not want their children learning about birth control as they fear their children will develop an interest in having sex.

I would suggest that in our society it's very difficult to prevent teenagers from experimenting with sex. Our media glorifies sex as much as it does violence. Even if parents do an excellent job of preventing their children from watching R or X rated films and carefully supervise their activities on the internet, the children will be probably be exposed when they talk to other teenagers or visit their homes.

A teenager or young adult might also visit a friend who owns or has found a firearm. While the numbers are not extremely high, it is true that all too often a person without firearm training feels that he is holding an unloaded firearm and violates the basic safety rules by pointing it in an unsafe direction and a tragedy results.

Admittedly health classes that teach birth control will not prevent all unwanted pregnancies and a class that teaches firearm safety is no guarantee that a person with good training will not misuse a firearm and accidentally shoot himself or another person as people often do incredibly stupid things especially if they are under the influence of alcohol. Still a life saved or an unwanted pregnancy avoided is far better than the alternative. Education helps.

Many parents disagree when their children are taught in school that the earth is more than 6000 years old or are taught the theory of evolution. Should they have the right to forbid their children from taking science or history classes?

Obviously we disagree on this issue and that is fine with me. I would like only to point out that while many of us do not live in the "wild outback" and wish to protect our children from the evils that our society holds it might be wise to discuss our personal views with our children and try to convince them of our wisdom.

But even if parents fail to convince their children that firearms are extremely dangerous and should never be in the hands of responsible citizens, it would be better if their children had been exposed to the fact that merely dropping the magazine out of a semi-auto firearm doesn't mean that it is unloaded as a round may well still be in the chamber of the weapon. A basic safety class will teach this and many other extremely important facts. How many lives have ended because some uneducated person believed he was holding an unloaded weapon?

Read though the 15 basic safety rules at http://www.wikihow.com/Handle-a-Firearm-Safely. An basic course on firearm safety would teach most if not all of these rules, although the shotgun class you mentioned in your OP may not have covered all. Are you qualified to teach your children this information or even the basics of gun safety?

I would suggest that a good course might well convince as many students that firearms are extremely dangerous as it would attract to the shooting sports (if it was conducted properly). It is quite possible that your son might have found that shooting a shotgun, especially if it was a 12 gauge , is not as much fun as he imagined. It's loud and if you don't hold it tightly to your shoulder it can hurt and cause a nasty bruise.

On the positive side your son at least attended the class and might have learned some valuable lessons. Unfortunately he may may have suffered some ridicule from his classmates. I hope not, but teenagers are often cruel.

Out of curiosity, how did you feel about my suggestion that basic first aid should be taught in all high schools. I feel that every graduating high school student should have a First Aid certification. That would save a lot of lives.

edited for typo

[southernyankeebelle]

23. There is nothing wrong being taught first aid in a health class. I see no connection to shooting

rifles in a class environment. I have no problem with hunting but young people need to take a course before they handle a rifle. Off the school they do have classes.

[spin]

32. Why do you oppose firearm safety courses in high school?

Is it because you fear that your children might develop an interest in the shooting sports?

I'm not saying that you shouldn't have a right to forbid your child to attend such classes. The more I consider your posts, the more I find myself agreeing that the school should have informed you that the health class contained a firearm safety course. You should have had the right to opt out of this instruction.

My question is more why you would wish to do so.

It is true that young adults can learn firearm safety outside of the school system however in some cases the cost of the course might discourage some poorer families and many families who are not interested in hunting might never understand that a course on firearm safety might save their child's life. If the class prevented just one tragedy it would be well worth it.

Out of curiosity would you oppose a class at the high school level that taught students how to safely handle a bow and the basics of archery?

[southernyankeebelle]

35. First thank you for comments. Let me address the bow and archery class. I wouldn't object to that

being taught in a PE class and not a health class. I feel Health class should concentrate on health and family issues and especially on birth control issues.

As far as my son being made fun of you haven't seen my son. He is a big guy. He was ok with going to watch them shoot. He really didn't care. By the way he does have a gun and shoots at the critters that destroy our yard.

I have never like guns. Just listening to my mother talking about her experiences during WWII and living in her country and being bombed by our planes just has had a effect on me personally. Plus I had a brother-in-law who was an experienced hunter who accidentally died from a shotgun wound. His wife and 2 young daughters brought him a shotgun for christmas. They live in Idaho where he did alot of hunting. So a couple of days after christmas he and a friend went hunting in the mountains. They were at the truck and he was putting the shotgun back in the truck cab. Somehow it got caught on the blanket and it had a hair trigger and he shot himself in the face killing him instantly. Needless to say his friend freaked out and that was it in an instant. He wasn't even 40 yrs old yet. So I just don't like guns.

I don't mind people using them for hunting and feeding their families. Or even having a gun to protect their family. I just won't have one around.


Gun classes should be taken very seriously and taught by the experts. I don't think the class costs that much to take. Now your point about the cost of teaching it in school really itsn't the point. Because what little I know about firearms that buy a rifle is expensive and so are bullets. So if they can afford to buy those things then they should send them to the right place to be taught by the right experts.

I hope I answered your questions. Thanks for asking and not putting me down about it. Sometimes people have very strong opinions. I respect that point of view. I just want people to respect my point of view even though we may disagree.

[petronius]

36. I agree with most of that, but I think a Heatlh class would be a very good place

for a unit on firearms safety, right there with birth control, reproductive heath/safety, nutrition, hygiene, etc. It wouldn't need to include shooting or even handling firearms.

Shooting, archery, hunting, and fishing sound like wonderful PE activities and I wish we'd had them, but I'd give parents the opportunity to opt out of and choose alternates to any of these extra-curricular or enrichment without prejudice. I also agree that shooting sports should be taught by experts, which is what the OP seems to be describing (it sounds like a collaboration between the schools and the wildlife services...)

[southernyankeebelle]

37. What worries me is will those young people pay real attention? If the class was small then maybe

it could be fine. However, I still want that opt out. Just like the holy ones would want to opt out their kids being taught about birth control.

[petronius]

40. I certainly think that on any topic, class sizes should be guided by the needs of the material.

If it involves anything potentially hazardous - firearms, shop tools, chemicals in the lab, etc - then the classes ought to be small and the supervision direct and competent.

I haven't thought about it deeply, but I think I'm less open to opt-out options for topics in a health class. If it's important enough to be in the curriculum then everyone ought to see it, regardless of their world-view. There's nothing in sex-ed that requires or encourages a student to engage in sex (safely or otherwise) so I think the religious kids should be responsible learning for the material the same as everyone else - what they do with it later is up to them. Same thing for a non-shooting firearms-safety segment; even students from non-gun-owning households may encounter a firearm at some point.

In PE, however, opting out and substituting should be easily available, IMO...

[southernyankeebelle]

41. Well not everyone has that gotta have a gun in your home. That gun mentality is why this country

is so screwed up. Sorry that is how I feel. I want that opt out. I don't want the government telling me who I can screw or forcing me to have my child taking a gun course if I don't want him/her to.

[spin]

42. Often I suspect that people who dislike firearms have damn good reason.

You qualify.

Firearms are extremely dangerous and absolutely unforgiving if misused and pointed in an unsafe direction.

I also had a tragedy occur in my family when an experienced and well trained person did something incredibly stupid with a firearm and died as a result. The main reason of the tragedy involved alcohol. The lesson that I learned is that you never, ever touch a firearm when you have been drinking to excess. Unfortunately alcohol inhibits judgment.

I refuse to touch the wheel of a car or to handle a firearm when I fear that I may be under the influence.

When inexperienced people ask me for advice on buying a firearm I actually try to discourage them. Firearms are not for everybody.

I do agree that firearm classes should be taught by experts. I have no idea whether or not the teacher who was instructing your son's class was a certified firearms instructor but obviously that would be preferable to a class taught be a firearms enthusiast without training in the subject.

It is still my opinion that firearm safety should be taught in schools especially in those areas where firearms are extremely common. I also believe that if you own a firearm, you should train your children in basic firearm safety at an early age and be willing to take them to a good course as they age. That should be a serious responsibly for any parent who owns firearms just as properly securing your weapons is.

I have also witnessed well trained people do foolish things while holding a weapon. I was once sitting at a table in the lounge area of a range reading a magazine. I glanced up and found that the muzzle of a .45 auto was pointed at me. I was just about to move when the person who was holding the weapon pulled the slide back and a round popped out of the pistol. He turned white when he realized what he had just done. This person was a retired police officer who had been a had been a firearms instructor for his department and was also an excellent competitive shooter who had won many tournaments. His attention faltered for an instant when he was deeply involved in a conversation with another shooter about the .45 auto.

I would caution any experienced shooters who happen to read this post that all too often after years of safely handling firearms you can lose your respect for the rules. Don't allow this to happen.

Perhaps that why I value any and all firearm safety training be it at home, in a public school, a certified class or on the range from other shooters who point out when you foolishly handle a firearm.

I do respect your views and I always try my best to be polite to those who hold different views in the Gungeon.

[southernyankeebelle]

43. Thanks for understanding that. It is deep in my heart. I saw the outcome of what happens.

I mean when I see an experienced hunter like my brother-in-law who normally is very cautious yet for one second of putting that rifle in the cab of his truck ended his life. However, I don't want you to think I don't want others to do that if they wish. My own son has a gun but I have told him not to bring it to my home. We live in a rural area. He is 31 now so I can't tell him what to do. You know things happen to the best of hunters. My husband and I have a friend that has rifles sitting around his house and they are loaded. It scares me to death when young kids come around. I told my husband I won't go over any longer if those guns are out in plan site. It is his home and I respect that but I think you are playing with fire. Don't you think that is crazy? I bet you do. I bet you wouldn't do that at all.

[spin]

44. No, I don't believe your comments are crazy in the least...

I don't leave loaded firearms lying around. That's asking for trouble.

edited for typo

[southernyankeebelle]

45. Yes I think so also. Crazy nuts.

[Jenoch]

49. The reason your BIL had a gun accident that took his life

is because he did not follow basic gun safety rules. He needed to unload his weapon before attempting to put it into the vehicle. If the trigger got caught on the blanket of his empty shotgun he would be alive today. Don't blame the gun. Your son is better off having gone through the class even though you did not allow him to shoot at the end of it. More gun safety should be taught in all of our schools, not less.

[southernyankeebelle]

50. Well your right about his accident. I failed to tell you he also has a glass eye.

He was an all around sports freak. He even dragged raced with cars. Just the 2 second guard was let down. It happens to the best of hunters. Unfortunately he forgot.

[Clames]

8. Do you know this as a fact?

But why do they need to take this course when the already teach in outside of the school.

Or just assuming? Don't think you seem to understand that this is more than just a basic safety course. Why take it outside of the school and on the expense of the parents? Are you aware that some colleges and universities offer small scholarships for their competitive trap shooting team? Try thinking first and reacting second here.

[southernyankeebelle]

9. No the area I live in teach safety courses for hunting at Wildlife and Game where you get your

license to hunt. I think that is what they call it. The year after my son class had this course they dropped it. I assume other parents complained about it or they realized that you could take the course out of school. The course was most likely longer. Which I have no problem with. If my son wanted to go hunting I would have enrolled him in the class out of school. I think health class should be about good health.

[Clames]

19. Ok, and is the area you live in Oklahoma?

Health classes should be about good health. Outdoor activities are a good way to achieve that so it seems the STEP program is on the right track.

[southernyankeebelle]

24. whatever you say Clames whatever you say. This was a discussion that's all. I am not telling you

what to do.

[Clames]

26. Nor am I telling you what to do.

nt

[petronius]

7. Very cool! Physical education classes like these provide skills and activities

that can last a lifetime, and exposing more kids to outdoor/wilderness activities (including hunting and fishing) helps build a stronger environmental and conservation ethic in that generation (voters that those of us who enjoy the wilderness will rely on in coming years)...

[Meiko]

21. I don't have a problem

with it as long as the instructors are certified and the course is voluntary. Parents should have the choice on whether or not they want their kids to handle guns.

[Remmah2]

22. Supervised instruction.

A really good idea.

There will be some fools who will find an NRA conspiracy in it.

[Xela]

31. More, not less, gun safety classes in schools...

I still get a quick about this series of pictures:
http://www.retronaut.co/2011/10/gun-safety-class-at-an-indiana-school-1956/

Xela

[spin]

33. Those pictures are indeed interesting...

Some here would probably be terrified to see them.

[petronius]

34. I'm not sure that last one is quite in keeping with the safety message!

Hope the photog had a long cable on the shutter release...

[DanM]

48. They should be doing this in all schools. Kids shouldn't have to wait to take it through the state.

Wildlife Department in Tn has classes and should teach them in the schools. If a kid's class on Health involves a class on shooting and safe gun handling, parents should sign the permission slips. And not be upset about it. Express your pleasure that some gun safety is being taught, and talk with the principle about it. And do not allow opt out. In fact, don't even allow the option of a permission slip. Every student must learn gun safety and get to shoot, to learn the lethality of the tool. While others are shooting, if a student sits back and laughs about it all, have the counselor talk to the student to see if their inappropriate behavior is a danger to others. There's no such thing as too much gun safety instruction, so course taught in school should be in addition to teaching outside of school.