Sparta BOE calls for action against gun violence

By Meghan Byers
SPARTA — The Sparta Board of Education passed a resolution addressing gun violence on February 26, a little less than two weeks after the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty members. Titled “Action to Address Access to Firearms and Delivery of Mental Health Services,” the resolution calls for action on a local and national level to help prevent future mass shootings.
“The Sparta Board of Education, in the County of Sparta, State of New Jersey, urges President Trump and Congress to identify and implement meaningful action to address access to and ownership of military-style assault weapons and ammunition, the delivery of mental health services, and financial support to ensure a safe and secure school climate,” the resolution states. The full text is available through the Sparta Board of Education website, (www.sparta.org/Domain/54) on page 16 of the February 26, 2018 agenda.
A copy of the resolution was sent to President Trump, state Sen. Steve Oroho (R-NJ24), Governor Phil Murphy (D-NJ), Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths (R-NJ24), the New Jersey School Boards Association, and the National School Boards Association. Sparta Board of Education President Kelly McEvoy said that, to her knowledge, there had been no response from any of the representatives contacted.
“The resolution passed is largely ceremonial,” said Dr. Michael Rossi, superintendent of Sparta public schools. “Restricting access to certain firearms (by age and type) will take legislative action. Our elected officials need the moxie to make that happen.”
“My hope is that this resolution will open doors for the conversations on the issue of mental health, not only for our students and faculty but for the community at large,” McEvoy said. “While I am not an expert on gun violence or healthcare, I do believe that tragedies such as Parkland can be a wake-up call for all levels of government, which includes school boards.”
Rossi also emphasized the need for school communities to help set an example in addressing some of the causes of gun violence.
“Preventing any type of violence (gun or otherwise) requires a fundamental shift in how we view, communicate and treat one another, a further commitment to improved mental health approaches, along with education in general about healthy choices,” he said. “School communities play a vital role toward relational understanding, non-violent responses to disagreements, and proactive engagement with a diverse set of learners.”
Both McEvoy and Rossi praised Sparta students for their response to the Parkland tragedy. The nation has seen a surge in student activism in the weeks following the shooting, and Sparta is no exception. About 200 Sparta High School students participated in the nationwide, 17-minute school walkout on the morning of March 14, with each minute representing a life lost in the Parkland shooting.
“I am so very proud of the Sparta students and those around our country,” said Rossi. “They are the best hope for a better future. Protest is what the United States is founded upon and frankly, if kids are going to be shot at they certainly have just as much a right to voice their opinions as adults.”
“My heart aches for our young people as they try to make sense of a senseless act,” said McEvoy. “And yet in the face of adversity, confusion, hurt, and anger our young people rose up as models for us all. [...] The young people of Sparta interpreted this tragedy as an opportunity to come alongside others and assist them in shouldering the burden and pain, while lighting the torch for change and action. I am humbled and proud of the student activism that I have witnessed in Sparta, and I thank them for setting an example that we can all follow.”
“In Sparta,” said Rossi, “we are continuously striving to be better teachers, leaders, and learners.”