Wake County weighs plan to educate students' families on safe gun storage

Check your child's folders and bookbags! Wake County students could soon bring home information on safe gun storage.

The Wake County Board of Education is set to meet Tuesday afternoon for a work session to review a draft resolution focused on safe gun storage, according to an online agenda.

The opening line of the resolution reads: "Evidence strongly suggests that secure firearm storage is an essential component to any effective strategy to keep schools and students safe.”

The resolution concludes with an action item that says the district would provide families with information and resources about the importance of secure gun storage and the legal consequences for not doing so.

In the past year, at least three adults have been charged after a student brought a gun into a Wake County school.

In February, the mother of a Wendell Middle School was charged for storing a firearms in a manner making it accessible to a minor.

In September, charges were filed against a woman after a gun was brought to Lead Mine Elementary.

Most recently, in December, a 39-year-old man was charged with violation of the storage of firearms to protect minors after a 12-year-old brought a gun to Fuquay-Varina Middle School. The gun was fired inside the building and pierced a window. No one was injured.

The discussion Tuesday afternoon will happen during the board work session at 2:30 p.m.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 156 North Carolina children and teens die each year from gunfire, most in their own homes. The state launched a campaign for safe gun storage called North Carolina Secure All Firearms Effectively, or N.C. SAFE.

When storing a gun, people should unload the firearm, lock it up and make sure the owner is the only one who can unlock it. They should never leave a gun unsecured in a car. For more storage tips, visit ncsafe.org.