Marksmanship for High School Diploma Enacted
Date: Apr 15, 2005 7:31 PM
>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>April 14, 2005
>Bloomfield Press
>Contact: Felicity Bower
>1-800-707-4020
>
>
>Marksmanship for High School Diploma Enacted
>Marksmanship for High School Diploma Enacted
>Marksmanship for High School Diploma Enacted
>
>
>Governor Signs Bill, Teaches Actual Gun Safety
>
>
>A gun-safety bill for children breaks new ground. Worth one credit toward
>a high school diploma, the course requires Arizona students to safely
>discharge a firearm at a target to pass. American high schools used to
>have firing ranges in the basement, but the tradition began fading in the
>late 1960s. Gun-rights proponents believe that training and education
>leads to increased safety and responsible behavior.
>
>The bill’s designers, concerned that “gun safety” could be turned
into
>”gun avoidance” by gun-control politics, included statutory rules
like the
>”shoot safely” requirement, to prevent unintended change. Other
>requirements include: Instruction on the role of firearms in preserving
>peace and freedom; the constitutional roots of the right to keep and bear
>arms; the history of firearms and marksmanship; the basic operation of
>firearms; practice time at a shooting range, and more.
>
>The Arizona Game and Fish Dept. (AGFD), specified by law as the course
>instructors, are discussing the specifics of the curriculum. AGFD has
>currently trained more than 18,000 school students in archery, a shooting
>sport, and are pleased with the final version of the bill, which they
>supported.
>
>The law began as an idea and rough draft from Bloomfield Press publisher
>Alan Korwin, who asked, “Why don’t we make marksmanship a requirement for
>a high school diploma? We know many kids get no gun-safety training, and
>marksmanship teaches responsibility, improves concentration, and affects
>national preparedness.” Because a required course would have budget
>implications and likely sink the bill, State Senator Karen Johnson
>introduced the class as an elective. It sailed through the Senate
>unanimously, and through the House by a veto-proof nearly three-to-one
>margin. Governor Janet Napolitano signed it into law on April 11 (the text
>follows).
>
>One television reporter, obviously nervous about providing such education,
>asked, “Don’t you think kids will rush to line up just so they can get
a
>chance to go shooting?” Without hesitating Korwin replied, “If it’s
that
>popular, and kids get all that safety training and experience, that would
>be a good thing.”
>
>
>Contact:
>Alan Korwin
>BLOOMFIELD PRESS
>”We publish the gun laws.”
>4718 E. Cactus #440
>Phoenix, AZ 85032

>http://www.gunlaws.com
>[email protected]
>Call, write, fax or click for a free catalog.
>
>
>P.S. Meet me at the NRA Convention in Houston this weekend!
>
>Also — New book for women: “Babes With Bullets”
>And — New Terrorism Guides for Police, on our website
>Plus