Biden Admin misinterprets law, denies funds to schools with hunting programs: Report.
The Biden Administration Blocks Federal Funding for Schools with Hunting and Archery Programs
The Biden administration has made the decision to withhold federal funding from schools that offer hunting and archery programs, according to a report by Fox News. This determination was made by the Department of Education based on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was passed last year.
Under this interpretation of the law, millions of school children across the country who are enrolled in these programs could be affected.
“It’s a negative for children. As a former educator of 30-plus years, I was always trying to find a way to engage students,” said Tommy Floyd, the president of the National Archery in the Schools Program, in an interview with Fox News.
“In many communities, it’s a shooting sport, and the skills from shooting sports, that help young people grow to be responsible adults. They also benefit from relationships with role models.”
Floyd, who is a former educator himself, revealed that his organization alone consists of 1.3 million students from nearly 9,000 schools across 49 states. He also mentioned that some schools have already canceled plans to include archery or hunting education courses in their curriculum due to the Education Department’s guidance.
The Bipartisan Safe Communities Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in June 2022, aims to promote safer and more inclusive school environments, according to the Education Department. The act was passed in response to a tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022, which resulted in the loss of 19 children and 2 adults, with 17 others injured.
The act was introduced by GOP Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. It includes an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that prohibits federal funds from supporting the provision of dangerous weapons or training in their use.
Sens. Cornyn and Tillis recently expressed their concerns to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona about the misinterpretation of the law in a letter. They emphasized that the Education Department’s interpretation contradicts the intent of Congress and the text of the Bipartisan Safe Communities Act.
Ridiculous https://t.co/Yi3Ro33FGY
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) July 28, 2023
Ben Cassidy, executive vice president for international government and public affairs at Safari Club International, criticized the Department of Education’s policy, stating, “It is ironic that the U.S. Department of Education is actively denying young Americans the chance to educate themselves on basic firearm and hunting safety.
“At best, the department’s policy appears to be singularly geared to ensure hunters are less safe when handling firearms or bows and, at worst, are leveling a direct attack on hunters’ ability to pass down hunting to the newest generations,” Cassidy added.
Lawrence Keane, senior vice president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, also accused the Department of Education of misconstruing the law. He argued that stopping hunter education courses that teach safe and responsible firearm handling actually makes communities less safe and hinders the passing down of hunting traditions.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) responded to the Education Department’s ruling on Twitter, stating, “No surprise! This is another example of an anti-gun, anti-hunting administration abusing an ambiguous law filled with undefined and overly broad provisions to push their radical agenda.”
No surprise! This is another example of an anti-gun, anti-hunting administration abusing an ambiguous law filled with undefined and overly broad provisions to push their radical agenda. https://t.co/2tbTaujYVc
— NRA (@NRA) July 28, 2023
In a subsequent post, the NRA added, “The Biden Admin is once again demonstrating an alarming readiness to take this power as far as they desire.”
The Biden administration’s decision to withhold funding from schools with hunting programs has sparked controversy and criticism from various organizations and individuals who believe that it goes against the intent of the law and undermines the importance of firearm and hunting safety education.
For more information, read the full article on The Western Journal.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...