Firearms Safety Courses Offered At Public Schools?

I was surprised to see this article, Napolitano signs bill to allow course, from KOLD News 13. It says Arizona Governor Napolitano has signed a bill that will make it possible for Arizona public schools to offer an elective one semester firearms safety course. The bill was passed by the Arizona Senate two months ago and the House approved the bill on April 4th. Arizona state law already allowed the state Game and Fish Department to provide training in safe handling of firearms and bows if a school requested the training. Now school districts and charter schools will be able to offer the marksmanship course too. Students will practice at an established range and be instructed on the use of clay targets and demonstrate competence with a .22 caliber rifle.

I'm glad to see the children of Arizona will get a chance to take firearms safety and marksmanship courses, no doubt they will be taught by a certified instructor and safety will come before marksmanship. I'm hoping for a couple of things since reading the article. I hope that the students that choose not to take the class will learn that everyone that has an interest in firearms is not a mass murderer by seeing that the course doesn't have a negative effect on their friends that do take it. I think a lot of kids today think all firearms are bad and everyone that owns one is evil. This comes from being in a class room with a teacher that is opposed to firearms ownership that brings their personal opinion into the class room. I'm hoping a lot of Arizona students show an interest in taking the course, that could help it to spread to other states.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.