In the wake of Tuesday’s horrific massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Mayor Eric Adams had some hard truth for parents: Stopping all the gun madness is partly their job, too.
“If kids are getting involved in guns, we need to intervene and get help right away,” he said Thursday. “Parents are not only parents; they are lifeguards . . . they are here to help their children protect themselves and from others.”
That means being diligent in talking to their kids and potentially searching their backpacks and rooms — because, if they’re finding guns or ammunition, “something is wrong.”
So far this year there’s been a lot of wrong: more than 4,700 weapons recovered in city schools since the return to in-person classes in the fall; over half were pepper spray and knives.
It’s also refreshing to know the mayor is consistent in his “be proactive” advice to parents: As a state senator, he created a (much-ridiculed at the time) video showing parents how to look for guns and drugs in their kids’ room — or baby dolls and couch cushions — as a way to combat rising gun violence.
The bottom line is: Safety begins at home.