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June is Gun Violence Awareness Month where communities across the nation #WearOrange to raise awareness about gun violence in our country. There are campaigns with the Sandy Hook Promise and Brady, organizations that create resources for communities, to help raise awareness and start conversations.

Every day, more than 300 people are directly impacted by gun violence in the United States. Gun Violence Awareness Month was created to draw attention to this tragic reality and demand life-saving change.

June 5th this year is recognized by U.S. public health, education, and advocacy groups as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. This observance is also known as “Wear Orange Day” and in some places kicks off "Wear Orange Weekend".

Background

On January 21, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. One week later, she was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. Soon after this tragedy, Hadiya’s childhood friends decided to commemorate her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others.

Wear Orange began on June 2, 2015—what would have been Hadiya’s 18th birthday. Since then, Wear Orange has expanded to a period of three days each year: National Gun Violence Awareness Day (the first Friday in June) and Wear Orange Weekend (the accompanying weekend).

Why Orange?

The color orange has a long and proud history in the gun safety movement. Whether worn by hunters in the woods of Pennsylvania, activists in New York City, or Hadiya’s loved ones in Chicago, orange honors the more than 120 lives cut short and the hundreds more wounded by gun violence every day - and it demands action. Orange is a color that demands to be seen.

Why Are We Sharing This?

Deaths and injuries from firearms pose a substantial risk to public health. Access to a firearm is the common denominator in every firearm-related death or injury. So today, we are reminding the community about the Resolution on the Safe Storage of Firearms passed by our School Committee in November 2022, as well as providing some education and action options associated with the Wear Orange campaign.

ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day is a day to remind parents and caretakers to ask "Is there an unlocked gun where my child plays?". ASK Day falls on June 21st, the first day of summer, every year due to this being a time when kids typically spend more time at the homes of friends and other family members.

In the United States, 4.6 million children live in homes with access to an unlocked or unsupervised gun. Every year thousands of kids are injured or killed as a result. June 21 marks the first day of summer, a time when many children are out of school, spending more time at home and at the homes of others. Parents ask all types of questions before their children visit other homes. ASK Day is when we remind parents, guardians, and caretakers to add one more question, ask: "Is there an unlocked gun where my child plays?"

It's a simple question, but it could save a life. 

The Framingham Public Schools takes the responsibility of education very seriously. In addition to providing teaching and learning opportunities within the walls of our schools, we also look for opportunities to create education and awareness opportunities for our entire community.

In November of 2022, the Secure Storage Notification Resolution was passed by the Framingham School Committee. (see / click the button below)

Bottom line message: Secure firearm storage saves lives.

Massachusetts residents 15 years and older who wish to possess, carry, and transport firearms, ammunition, and feeding devices are required to have a firearms license. Firearms licenses are issued by local municipal police departments. Learn more about gun ownership in Massachusetts. Additionally in Massachusetts, all guns must be stored in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device. Primitive firearms are exempt from this storage requirement. It is recommended that you store firearms unloaded, separately from ammunition, in locked compartments.

Here are tips from Brady on how to start ASK conversations about safe firearm storage.

1. Assume that guns are part of everyone's life.
2. Don't be confrontational.
3. Do your research and use the facts.
4. Focus on success stories.
5. Ask from a place of honesty and respect.

An organization called End Family Fire has great resources on how to securely and safely store your firearms. You can watch a YouTube video on how to store your gun safely, hear from gun owners, and learn about safe gun storage options all on their website: https://www.endfamilyfire.org/