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8-year-old caught with loaded handgun at Georgia school
There is a growing demand to increase school safety measures in Georgia. This comes after an eight-year-old student brought a loaded handgun to Myers Elementary School. The issue was debated under the Gold Dome on Friday.
ATLANTA - The Georgia House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that would mandate weapons detection systems in every public school in the state, a move that would make Georgia the first in the nation to pass such a requirement.
The vote on House Bill 1023 comes on the heels of a security scare at Myers Elementary School in Hall County, where deputies say an 8-year-old student brought a handgun to campus Thursday morning. While administrators disarmed the student, the incident has fueled a growing movement of parents demanding immediate security upgrades.
What they're saying:
"How can an eight-year-old child bring a weapon into a local Hall County school?" asked Candace Williams, a local parent who founded the group Moms 4 Metal Detectors. Williams noted that the gun was discovered by another student rather than by faculty or staff.
The proposed legislation would require a weapons detection system at the main entrance of every public school. Supporters argue the measure is a necessary evolution of school safety following the tragedy at Apalachee High School.
"This bill is the next step to ensure that every parent, every grandparent, knows that when they drop their child off at school in the morning, they're going to be able to pick them up safely at the end of the day," said state Rep. Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula).
Local perspective:
While Gwinnett County is already installing AI-powered detection systems, Hall County currently lacks any metal detectors. Williams said that seeing video of the Apalachee shooting suspect walking into the building with a concealed weapon convinced her that detectors are essential.
"Two and a half years later. Why are we not making changes now? What's the delay?" Williams said. "This is not rocket science. This is school safety."
The other side:
However, the bill faces pushback from critics who point out that the mandate does not include new state funding to help districts cover the costs. Others argue that detectors address the symptoms rather than the root cause of school violence.
"Metal detectors are not a victory. They are an admission. An admission that we have failed somewhere else," said state Rep. Bryce Berry (D-Atlanta). "We've allowed guns and weapons of war to become more valuable than a pack of gum in this state, and act confused when people keep dying."
What's next:
The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration. If approved there, it will head to the governor’s desk for final signature.
The Source: The information in the article is based on legislative actions from the Georgia House of Representatives and incident reports from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.