Students & Faculty Protest Proposed Gun Range Next Door To School

How far away should a gun range be from a high school? Students and staff at George Washington Carver High school in Sacramento, CA, think 250 feet is too close for comfort. They're protesting against the new shooting range currently in development next door. George Washington Carver High School is in the Rancho Cordova community, nearby a church, senior citizen center, and an elementary school. CJ Costa, a senior at Carver, tells Youth Radio that even though he has guns in his home, he’s against that level of gun activity so close to a school. “We've protested and picketed. We've gone to two school board meetings [and got] the school board to pass a resolution that asked city council to move the gun club,” he said. Principal Allegra Allesandri says that if this gun club opens, "...we’re really concerned about the noise. If we hear gunshots we’ll be forced to lock the campus down. Allesandri says it's unacceptable to have a gun range next to a school, even if it's legal. “We’re asking for the gun club owners to move. We know that the owners of the property have a lot of empty property in more appropriate places,” she said. Allesandri wants a dialogue with city council but says she hasn't been able to talk with anyone yet. Until then. students are planning another protest at the property site Friday, October 9th.