TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)- After hearing the impassioned pleas of parents whose children were killed, a key House panel approved a sweeping school safety measure.
That measure would allow specially trained teachers to bring their guns to class, raise the age from 18 to 21 to purchase rifles or long guns, and create a commission to explore failures in the education and law enforcement systems leading up to the massacre at the high school.
About 40 parents from Parkland traveled to Tallahassee on Tuesday to share their stories and requests with legislators and Governor Rick Scott as lawmakers rush to pass school safety legislation before the session ends on Mar. 9.
Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son Alex was among the 14 students and three faculty members shot dead, choked back tears as he begged lawmakers to take action.
"It's time to learn to compromise to make our schools safe again. Let's get something done today," said Schachter. "We owe it to all of these students, and you owe it to me and all of those 16 other families."
Linda Beigel Schulman, whose son Scott died in the attack, was one of those urging lawmakers to take action on gun control.
"Please, please, please help us all, so no mother ever has to go through what I am going through. It has been 14 days since I last spoke to my son Scott," Schulman said. "I am still trying to swallow the fact that I will never, ever be able to speak with him again."
One of the most controversial parts of the plan would allow some properly trained teachers to carry a gun in the classroom. Referencing football coach, Aaron Feis, who died shielding students from gunfire, House bill sponsor Jose Oliva said arming teachers is a fail safe if nothing else works.
"If all of it failed, we are giving the opportunity for people like Coach Feis to be able to instead of using his body, to be able to use special training to defend as the last line of defense," said Oliva.
The House legislation is now ready to be heard by the full chamber. The Senate Appropriations Committee was still discussing its version of the bill late Tuesday. If it passes that panel, it will also be ready for the floor.
The families in Tallahassee held a candlelight vigil at Waller Park Tuesday night.
