State Representative rallies for the study of the Right to Bear Arms in the classroom

The right to bear arms could soon be a three-week mandatory part of your child's schoolwork if one state legislator has his way.

State Representative Alan Clemmons, who represents district 107, wants a stronger emphasis to be placed on the Second Amendment in schools across the state. He prefiled the Second Amendment Education Act ahead of the General Assembly returning to session this month.

"The second amendment applies to every American citizen," said Clemmons. "It is a personal right to bear arms for the sake of defending oneself if the need should arise."

That is a constitutional right Clemmons wants students to study and understand.

"The discussion should be a scholarly discussion about the history of the second amendment, why was it important to our fathers, why was it so important that it was included in the bill of rights., and how the second amendment folds into modern society," Clemmons said of what he thinks should be implemented in the classroom.

The Second Amendment Education Act would require a portion of South Carolina's mandated study of the U.S. Constitution in high school be devoted to study of the Second Amendment. Clemmons advocates for roughly three weeks of study dedicated to the constitutional right.

Rep. Clemmons filed the bill in responsive to Zero Tolerance policies in place at schools across the state to stop students from bringing guns on campus. According to Clemmons, over time those policies have turned into an anti-Second Amendment shut-down.

"That policy in my mind is subjecting the rising generation to the mindset of the instrument, the firearm, is evil regardless of the hand that the firearm is in," explained Clemmons.

Another bill prefiled ahead of legislators return aims at taking children out of the classroom and into the gun range for a semester-long course on firearm safety.

Under the bill filed by Senator Lee Bright, students would be given the option to take the course as an elective.

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State Representative rallies for the study of the Right to Bear Arms in the classroom