Gun violence and public safety

Students have right to recess periods

Dear Editor: Parents and teachers in the Kingston school district should know that recess should not be withheld from children as a form of punishment. Many parents and teachers throughout Kingston are not informed that the district has an approved wellness policy that states “”physical activity will not be withheld from children for any reason.”

Research shows that withholding recess is counterproductive. When schools limit children’s time for play, movement and socialization, it’s harmful for their health, and it’s also bad for their academic performance.

Since 2004, all schools that participate in the National School Lunch program have been required to have wellness plans that outline how they handle student nutrition and physical education.

In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated recess should not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons and highlighted research showing that young students have improved test scores and better cognitive functioning when they get breaks for physical activity.

In 2014, the Kingston district stated on its website that “withholding recess as a form punishment conflicts with the Board of Education approved policies of the Kingston City School District. Recess and playtime are an important part of a student’s development and should be included in each school day. According to our District Wellness Policy No. 5045, students will have opportunities, support and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis. Recess is one of these opportunities.”

I am grateful that the district has adopted a wellness policy that protects recess.

Let’s spread the word and make sure parents understand their children’s rights and the district position. Carol Garboden Murray Kingston school district parent Rifton, N.Y.

It’s time for the people to overpower the NRA

Dear Editor: What we need to do is bring back some of the strategies we used to protest the Vietnam War.

Stage a sit-in at NRA. Do a rally on the steps. Barrage them with letters and phone calls. Let the will of the people vent their anger at this un-noble lobbying group who have the Republican Party legislators in a stranglehold.

The Democrats can’t do anything.

The state governors and mayors can’t do anything.

Newspaper editorials and opinion articles fall on deaf ears.

So it’s up to us, the citizens of these United States, the populace, all of us, to disrupt their daily peace. Protest at their home base. Also protest to Las Vegas for hosting the annual NRA conference. If we raise such a hew and cry, maybe no other city will host them.

Let’s mobilize for the sake of our children, grandchildren, family and friends.

I thought for sure that U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., who was shot at a baseball game, would stand up against the NRA, but he just used the same platitudes others used.

Well, it’s gone beyond feeling sad, beyond holding the deceased and wounded in your hearts, beyond saying sorry to the families and involved — beyond all of that. It is time for clear and decisive action.

Those of us in our 70s and 80s who marched to stop the war — and we did — need to stand up once again, to stop this greatest threat to our peaceful existence, domestic terrorism.

The first step is to stop the NRA lobbying our government legislators. Esther Rosenfeld Woodstock, N.Y. Dear Editor: A GOP-led Congress won’t debate solutions to gun violence on the Senate or House floor. Millions from the NRA and guns rights lobbyists, predominantly to Republicans, demand inaction.

Since Congress won’t discuss gun control to improve public safety, here’s an option. Gun ownership should parallel car ownership. Americans register cars, must pass a licensing test and owners of fast, expensive cars with poor driving records pay larger liability premiums compared to careful commuters in subcompacts. Defensive driving courses reduce an individual’s insurance premium.

A gun owner should pass a basic competency test to receive a gun license. Owners should record gun registration numbers at the County Clerk’s Office. Gun owners should carry liability insurance with cost based on market factors. Low-risk entitles low cost, with higher risks costing more. Risk factors being an owner’s age, safety record, type of gun(s) owned and conditions of use. Costs could be reduced through additional, regular safety training.

Guns rights lobbyists foster falsehoods like “government will take your guns if there’s a database” and “more guns makes everyone safer.” The Second Amendment states “wellregulated” for good reason.

Shotguns are great for home protection. Hunters safely enjoy bolt-action rifles and shotguns. Some Americans may need pistols for personal protection. No citizens need military-style weaponry intended for the battlefield. Ask a law enforcement officer if anyone needs military-style weaponry. Gun show sales are black markets needing oversight. If a “good” citizen can procure military-style weapons at gun shows, so can people with bad intent.

Jeff Akins Highland, N.Y.