DETROIT (WXYZ) — A group of high school students is taking up the fight against gun violence in Wayne County schools.
Tuesday morning, Wayne County commissioners passed the students' Gun Violence Resolution.
The gun safety plan, put forward by the Wayne County Commission Youth Council, calls for districts, parents and students to take preventative action.
Council Chair Keerthana Danasekara, a senior at Northville High School, told 7 Action News, "I think it's really important this year, especially with the Oxford High School shooting and in a lot of schools across Wayne County."
"We've had gun violence threats, which is why school shut down for a while. So, it's been very near and dear to our hearts. Personally in my school, I feel relatively safe, but there's a lot of schools in Michigan, in Wayne County that do need to implement extra measures, including my school," she continued.
Among the extra measures in the resolution, the youth council wants gun locks to be purchased when a gun is purchased to help limit access to minors of all ages.
"In 4 out of 5 cases in school shootings, at least one person has knowledge of the attackers plans before it happens. But it's not reported because there's not that trust between faculty and students. So, we're trying to foster a better relationship between faculty and the student body, so they feel comfortable talking about this," Council Secretary Kavya Keshavamurthy, a junior at Plymouth High School, said.
To make students even more comfortable with reporting potential threats, the youth council suggests creating an online drop box as a way for students to report concerns anonymously. Also, they want one day each school year to be dedicated to gun safety for parents and students. Schools would hold a seminar.
Near the top of their priorities is mental health and greater availability mental health professionals. The youth council wants students to have some time to seek out mental health resources.
"We all know that guns impact our community in a negative way, and of course, in schools especially with the gun shootings all throughout the country. It impacts the students and their ability to learn and so they wanted to address this issue," Wayne County Commissioner Monique McCormick said. "I am so very proud."
The students now plan to send their approved resolution to Wayne County's delegation in the Michigan legislature, the state superintendent and school boards in each Wayne County district.
