This week, I wanted to discuss one of my most important legislative responsibilities – education. In our state, schools are not just another line item in our budget. They are so important that these words are forever enshrined in our Constitution: “A general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence being essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people, the general assembly shall establish and maintain free public schools for the gratuitous instruction of all persons in this state within ages not in excess of twenty-one years as prescribed by law.”
Whether our children are in public, private, religious, or home schools, my priority has always been to ensure educational excellence.
Before serving as your state representative, I had the privilege of serving as a member and president of the Poplar Bluff school board. In that position, I learned how the challenges in society at large affected our students and faculty. Just recently I had the opportunity to get a refresher course when I visited with a classroom of local junior high students.
I truly appreciated the time spent with the students in a question and answer session. In those two hours, they weren’t afraid to bring up sensitive but important topics. These included self-harm, suicide, drug abuse, mental illness and truancy. We also discussed the timely topic of school safety.
Much of the discussion centered on the recent school shooting in Texas and the measures we can take to prevent future massacres. As an American who loves freedom and our Constitution, I have consistently campaigned and voted to protect our Second Amendment. Additional gun controls are nothing I would support.
In addition to trampling the rights of American citizens, adoption of more gun control simply won’t work. Look at two examples. The District of Columbia, which has the strictest gun laws, consistently has the highest violent crime rate in America. Meanwhile, the state of Idaho, which protects gun rights, has among the lowest violent crime rates. The problem is that when you ban guns the criminal element will still manage to get their hands on them. Additionally, other factors lead to violent crime than merely access to firearms.
Even though I would not support more gun control, I did suggest possible solutions that were supported by a large majority of the students. One option is allowing trained teachers to carry concealed weapons in the classroom. One of the surest methods of stopping an active shooter is with firepower. I also favor hiring additional police officers to secure the schools.
May God bless and keep you and our great nation.
Hardy Billington represents District 152, which includes parts of Butler and Dunklin counties.