[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 70 (Wednesday, June 8, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                            GUNS IN SCHOOLS

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, I think the photograph beside me of 
a youngster in a coffin being viewed by two other youngsters is a sight 
that is happening too often all across this great land, and I think 
there is no issue where the public's view is more clear. There should 
be zero tolerance for guns in schools of America.
  Senator Byron Dorgan sponsored, and I was pleased to cosponsor, an 
amendment to the Goals 2000 education plan so that students who carry a 
gun to school would be expelled for 1 year. Goals 2000 provides about 
$100 million in funding that is allocated to schools based on a 
competitive process, but it only impacts a small number of schools.
  There is a way that the Congress can require that 93 percent of all 
of the public schools in this Nation adopt a zero tolerance for guns on 
school grounds. That bill is the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act. It is a reauthorization bill, S. 1513, that contains $12 billion 
in funding for public schools over 5 years. It is going to be marked up 
by committee next week and then will come to the full Senate.
  Both Senator Dorgan and I are importuning the committee to include 
this zero tolerance policy for guns in the authorization bill. If that 
amendment is in the bill, any school in America that uses public moneys 
will have to have a policy that says if a youngster brings a gun to 
school, that youngster must be expelled for 1 year.
  There are those who say: ``What about that youngster? Then that 
youngster is on the streets.''
  To that I say, Madam President, what about the youngsters in school 
with the youngster who is carrying a gun? Can they learn? I do not 
think so.
  Gun violence on school campuses is out of hand. Between 1986 and 
1990, 71 youngsters were killed by guns at schools, 66 of them young 
children.
  How can we expect our children to learn if they do not feel safe? How 
can we expect our children to learn if they fear a fellow student may 
pull out a gun?
  Jennifer Chin, a 16-year-old student at University High School in 
Irving, CA, recently wrote an op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times that 
I think summarizes the fear so prevalent on school campuses. Jennifer 
said:

       Violence has even spread to our schools. Last year there 
     are thousands of instances in the United States of students 
     taking weapons to school, kids, not young adults, not even 
     adolescents, but children. Schoolchildren should not have in 
     their hands the means for slaying their classmates over 
     simple disputes.
       In the past, a fist fight would have ended the quarrel. Now 
     a gun is the solution.

  Madam President, when we grew up in California youngsters did engage 
in some fisticuffs. Today one of them goes home, gets a gun, comes back 
and shoots the other.
  Jennifer says:

       Imagine what would happen, if students shot each other 
     every time there was a disagreement. No one would be left to 
     attend class.

  She is absolutely right.
  In California and around the Nation incidents of gun possession and 
gun-related violence on school grounds are dramatic. Between 1986 and 
1990 in this Nation 71 people were killed by guns in schools, including 
66 students. As many as 50 young people are killed each year in school-
related violence.
  In 1992-93, in our State, Madam President--and it is fortuitous you 
are in the Chair--30 guns were confiscated in San Diego schools; 60 
guns were confiscated in Oakland; and almost 600 guns were confiscated 
in Los Angeles schools. In a single month this year two students were 
shot dead at school in the same California school district.
  Across this Nation, 32 of the 44 largest school districts now use 
either hand-held or walk-through metal detectors--metal detectors--in 
public elementary schools.
  California schools are doing their best to address the problem of 
guns in schools through a variety of policies and programs. Some have 
already adopted zero tolerance policies. In Sacramento, uniformed off-
duty police officers now patrol high schools to beef up security 
concerns caused by guns. Ten guns have been confiscated from students 
in those schools. The school district has requested that six students 
be expelled for carrying guns to school. The county has set up a 
hotline for anonymous callers to report students carrying guns on 
campuses.
  The reasons why gun-free schools and this amendment are so 
important--in clear and simple terms this amendment says that guns will 
not be tolerated on school grounds.
  In California, a State law now requires that students be expelled in 
these cases. But the gun free amendment that Senator Dorgan and I are 
submitting is a little different. It would require that students are 
expelled for 1 year. Our State law is not specific. It leaves a great 
deal of ambiguity.
  The gun-free school amendment, as I said, has already been adopted as 
part of Goals 2000. But that is not enough. I truly believe that as 
important as $12 billion is, if we cannot stop guns coming into schools 
youngsters are not going to be able to learn. So in my view this 
amendment that Senator Dorgan and I are cosponsoring is as important as 
the authorization bill itself.
  We have both sent a letter to Senator Kennedy importuning him to put 
this amendment into the elementary and secondary school authorization 
bill. And I am hopeful, as we look at this youngster in the coffin, 
that that letter is going to be heard.
  I thank you, Madam President, and I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California yields the floor.
  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business for a period not to extend beyond 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The 
Senator is recognized for 10 minutes.

                          ____________________