Kansas House Lawmakers Pass Ineffective NRA “Eddie Eagle” Educational Programming Despite Broad Opposition from Educational Professionals and Associations

The Kansas chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement after Kansas lawmakers advanced House Bill 2304, a bill to require children enrolled in firearm safety training programs in public schools to go through the National Rifle Association’s “Eddie Eagle” program. The program was deemed ineffective by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Lawmakers passed this bill despite hearing testimony in opposition from Kansas Moms Demand Action volunteers and Kansas education professionals, including the Kansas State Board of Education, Kansas PTA, Kansas National Education Association.

“Instead of showing their allegiance to Kansas school children, lawmakers are showing their prioritization to the gun lobby and pushing an ineffective NRA program,,” said Ann Williamson, a volunteer with the Kansas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “If lawmakers were really interested in protecting our children, they would support programs that put the responsibility on parents to securely store firearms, not on children.”

In an average year, 456 people die and 655 are wounded by guns in Kansas. An average of 52 children and teens die by guns every year, of which 47% of these deaths are suicides and 49% are homicides. Gun violence in Kansas costs $1,958 per person each year. Gun deaths and injuries cost Kansas $5.7 billion each year, of which $95.1 million is paid by taxpayers

More information about gun violence in Kansas is available here.