Glaring omission in schools gun-policy group

The Ministry of Education is seeking feedback about its draft guidelines for schools on developing a firearms policy. Questions about guns in schools arose last April, as students at a primary school were photographed handling military firearms when the Army visited.

There was a lot of media and social media comment, and questions in Parliament. Opinions varied: schools should not have firearms; firearms are a normal part of school life for sports shooting and other activities; rural schools need firearms safety training with a practical, hands-on component.

The ministry responded by expanding its health and safety sector reference group to assist boards of trustees in developing policies about firearms.

Those draft guidelines and “tools and resources” are now on the ministry’s website, and it is asking for feedback.

On its website, the ministry is less than frank about who it consulted. Draft minutes from a meeting it had last July tell an interesting story about the influence of the gun lobby in New Zealand.

Of the 48 people who attended or sent apologies, half were from the ministry and the education sector — and many of the education organisations represented are listed on the ministry’s website. Six people were from other government agencies with an interest in firearms and safety: Police, the Defence Force and WorkSafe.

What the website doesn’t mention is there were also at least 16 representatives from firearms organisations, including sports shooters, hunting organisations, firearms safety specialists and the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners.

Who was missing from this health and safety sector reference group? Well, “health” people for starters. Of course, as a public health researcher, I would say that. But on a “health and safety” group you might expect a few health experts.

If there had been some public health people present, they might have been able to raise a health issue that needs attention here: students’ exposure to lead.

Lead poisoning is serious and notifications are required under the Health Act 1956. And yes, recreational shooters are at risk from lead poisoning, especially if they use indoor firing ranges. In fact they make up the second largest group of people notified for raised blood lead levels in recent years (the largest group is house painters).

Public health experts agree lead poisoning from firearms and airguns is probably under-reported, partly because there are few or no immediate symptoms. The World Health Organisation says there is no known safe level of lead exposure, and children are especially at risk.

This kind of information did not get a look-in at the initial consultation. The draft guidelines do not mention lead.

Instead, we can see the influence of the firearms community representatives — for example, in the list of 16 “situations when firearms may be allowed in school”. Occasions such as: Careers day, Defence Force visits, auctions involving firearms, fundraising, amusement devices and cadet forces (odd, because Cadets say they do not operate in schools).

And the draft minutes show that when the group sensibly talked about the ministry keeping a list of schools that have firearms, the “non-ministry” people there said this wasn’t necessary, and would create a “shopping list for criminals”. So the ministry took keeping a register of schools with guns off its work programme. That means nobody at the ministry will know which schools have guns.

These details are concerning, but at a deeper level, a health and safety sector reference group in the Ministry of Education with virtually no health expertise looks very strange. How about some joined-up government here?

When it’s thinking about the health of our children, could the Education Ministry at least phone the Ministry of Health, regional public health bodies, or local medical officers of health, and not just rely on a big deputation from the gun lobby?

Submissions on the draft guidelines for schools developing a firearms policy close on April 11.

Marie Russell

is a researcher in the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, studying firearms policy from a public health point of view.