Inside Montgomery Co. Public Schools gun education assemblies

CLARKSBURG, Md. - FOX 5 got a chance to sit in on the new gun education assembly Montgomery County Public Schools is hosting for students. 

The State's Attorney’s Office started presenting to the county’s high schools last week. On Friday, it was Clarksburg High School’s turn.

"Everyone has a role to play in school safety. Everyone has a role," Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said during the assembly. "If was out here talking to your parents, I would talk to them about the role they have as parents – as people in the community – because we have shootings that have occurred in this community – and rounds will be fired, 25-30 rounds – and no one calls the police." 

Before the assembly, the county’s top prosecutor told FOX 5, "The first ghost [gun] that was ever seized in Montgomery County in a public school was seized here in the school that we’re in today. So again, it’s sad to me that young people have to deal with this, but it’s part of their life."

"It’s helping them understand, like every member in the community, they have a role in helping and maintaining safety in their own environment," he added.

The States Attorney’s Office is hosting these 30-minute presentations. During the assembly at Clarksburg High, McCarthy went over gun laws. The state's attorney showed stats, including one from the Gun Violence Archive that says a growing number of teens 12-to-17-years-old, over 4,000 in 2020, were injured or killed by guns.

Most of the auditorium raised their hand when the state's attorney asked how many students in attendance are the same age. 

McCarthy also talked about how to recognize signs of trouble, report concerns – anonymously if need be – and showed videos of other county high school families impacted by gun violence.

The sessions were created after a number of incidents across the country and county. 

One of the most notable incidents in the county took place in January at Magruder High School. That was the first time in county history a student was shot inside a Montgomery County school.

During the Friday assembly, you could hear a couple of students snickering, and a few were sleeping. Several other students, however, were taking the matter seriously.

The Student Government Association President, Sabrin Niamathuah, told FOX 5, "I believe that advocacy and awareness are the first steps to making change and that starting with the students is an incredible way to address gun violence."

"I feel like creating change and legislation, having stricter gun control, stricter background checks – I believe that is the way we will curve this issue," she continued. "And by making students the solution – making us the sort-of method to solving this problem, it puts a weight on our shoulders. We should be able to focus on our school or extracurriculars over gun violence."

"Honestly, it was really sad because Magruder is so close to you, and you always think it won’t happen to you, but when I heard, and we all went to into lockdown because it’s so close to us, your heart drops, and it’s hard to think about," said Victoria Smith, another Clarksburg High School student government member.

READ MORE: Gun education assemblies scheduled at Montgomery County high schools this fall

After the assembly, she told FOX 5 that the "video was very emotional." 

"Thinking about athletes, sons and daughters, friends, it was very emotional to see," she said speaking of the video that depicted loved ones of a local high school student killed.

McCarthy told FOX 5 he’s impressed with how socially aware the students receiving the assemblies are.

"Conflict among new people, that’s not a new thing," he said. "The fact that there might be a high school – a fight at a high school, that’s not a new thing. Everybody experienced that. The angst of growing up, not a new thing …  Kids are just better armed today. And what was a fist fight in my time can be a gun fight today, and, you know, it’s not a black eye. It can cost somebody their life. I think it’s sad for these kids, but I’m real proud that we’ve joined in this partnership with Montgomery schools to be here."

McCarthy also said Montgomery County Police and Moms Demand Action are also partners.

"We can’t make the community safe, we can’t make schools safe until everybody works together on it, that’s the message: let’s work together. Bring the emergency that we see like at Marjory Stoneman Douglas and those wonderful young people who became national advocates that we see now speaking in Congress," McCarthy said. "Wouldn’t it be great if we brought that energy – not to the back-end of a tragedy – but to a front end, where we prevent that from ever coming to the community. That’s my goal." 

Check out some additional resources shared during the assembly below: 

· Anonymous Tip Line: 1-833-MD-B-SAFE (1-833-632-7233), online at safeschoolsmd.org

· In an emergency, call 911

· Montgomery County Public Schools BeWell365 

· Mental Health Resources and Supports

Parents are able to opt their children out of the assemblies if they choose to.