EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A group of mothers took their fight for safe gun storage to East Grand Rapids Public School’s board meeting on Monday. The group, which is called Moms Demand Action, is hoping to prevent tragedies that have happened in other communities.
The mothers went to the school board meeting to shine a light on the Be SMART campaign, which promotes responsible gun ownership and reducing child gun deaths.
According to Moms Demand Action, more than 188,000 students attend a Michigan school with a secure firearm storage resolution in place, including Grand Rapids Public Schools and Plainwell Community Schools. They hope that East Grand Rapids Public Schools will join the list.
“Together, we’ve shared stories of kind of being afraid for our children, being afraid, taking them places with us,” said Moms Demand Action volunteer Stacy Lynch. “And I don’t want to live this way anymore. And I don’t want my children to have to live this way anymore.”
Lynch also says that gun storage isn’t a political issue. Instead, it’s about safety and education.
“We’re not saying don’t have guns, we’re just saying store them correctly, and make it safe for children, in school, out of school, in homes, and in public places,” said Lynch.
One member of Moms Demand Action that has been affected by mass shootings is Katherine Laskey.
“I was a student at Virginia Tech in 2007, and lost a number of friends that day,” said Laskey. “And then seven years later, my husband and I worked on the Washington Navy Yard when there was another mass shooting that happened that day.”
Now, as a mother of three, Laskey is doing what she can to protect not only her kids, but everybody’s children.
“Our ask is that they pass what’s called the Safe Storage Resolution,” said Laskey. “And this would enable the school board to distribute information to the parents and the guardians of the district to provide them information about safe storage, and helping to normalize the conversation about securing guns safely.”
“I’d really like to see our board support us in this mission, and to really be the leaders that we deserve,” said Lynch.
More information on the Be SMART campaign can be found on its website.