Marksmanship should be a required class in every Florida public high school
— Rep. Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) March 31, 2022
It takes a lot to be Florida’s worst legislator. The competition is fierce.
But state Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, certainly tries the hardest at being awful.
“Marksmanship should be a required class in every Florida public high school,” Sabatini tweeted last week.
“My grades are pretty good, Mom. I would have had all A’s and B’s, but I had a misfire in my Glock lab.”
Sabatini’s proposal is a special kind of crazy, and yet not that surprising from him. After all, he’s the lawmaker who also suggested that the teenage vigilante Kyle Rittenhouse ought to run for U.S. Congress.
It’s Sabatini who is running for U.S. Congress these days, and he has such little regard for the people of Florida that he imagines he will improve his chances of winning by pointing out the lack of shooting skills exhibited by Florida’s high school teens.
It used to be that if you wanted to be a provocative lawmaker, you’d talk about schools getting back to mandatory classes in penmanship.
— Frank Cerabino in Flori-duh Alert: Mandatory Shooting Classes for Florida Public High School Students?
He’d get my vote.
Mine too.
But what do you want to bet that this Frank Cerabino character is also all-in for mandatory State requirements for training and shooting proficiency in order to get a Permission Slip to exercise your right to carry concealed?
Just as long as those things are taught in High Schools.
Here’s a very democratic solution: Make the classes electives and see what percentage of students vote to participate.
Marksmanship seems to be a lot more practical than knowing how to make a lower case cursive Z.
comes in handy if you’re drawing monkeys or seahorses.
Cursive writing is important as is reading, writing and math. but it seems our schools don’t teach these subject any more.
Cursive is great when I need to send notes to coworkers and don’t want the commie inclined younger employees to get too much out of it.
The only practical need for writing cursive in the 21st century is to sign your name and even that need is rapidly fading, and requires absolutely no penmenship skills whatsoever. It may hang on though in the way that Roman numerals have.
Typical psychotic phallic worshiping steel stroking powder sniffing lube applying gun owner. Only in crazy america, where people really like their freedummmmmmmmb, is such a thing possible. Teaching kids to defend themselves will instantly lead to blood in the streets, in the form of massing shootings, school shootings, and other disgruntled teenage white males exercising their cisgendered heteronormative male white patriarchy and privilege. Don’t teach kids marksmanship. Instead, they need to be properly groomed and indoctrinated in LGBTQAAIP$269@OI🥕 🍆👌
Had these kids been taught proper subjective pronoun usage and how to properly check their privilege, marksmanship wouldn’t be needed.
Mine, too. Wish he’d move to Delaware
Didn’t they encourage high school students back in the days of yor civilian marksmanship?
So bringing back something old that works would be a big plus for everyone.
Back in the 1960’s & 1970’s many high schools had shooting ranges for ROTC.
Mine did. They even had matches with other schools.
Liberals and Hippies did away with them for instigating violent behavior and look at how peaceful we’ve become !!
My dad was on the rifle team at Kankakee.Ill HS way back in the 1920’s. Taught me to shoot(sorta) in the 1960’s. He told us he used to walk to school with his gun slung over his shoulder. Long gone in my time! Cruz for the death penalty…
My son is shooting on his high school trap team. Trap shooting is the fastest growing high school sport in my state. Archery is one of the top high school sports in the country.
Shooting sports are not dead in our schools.
When I was in high school the gym teachers decided to screw over the kids who signed up for archery and fencing and swap our curriculum with the basketball and badminton class. I did end up joining the archery club in college, at least.
MANY Ukrainians would point out that their High School weapons training was their most important block of instruction.
The dumbass is strong with this Cerabino twit. Reading his scribbling drivel will make you stupid.
Gun safety in schools is a good start plus this is another example of seeing our constitution being taught . Good for them.
Required in Russia, along with ability to disassemble and reassemble a functional AK-47.
Gun safety and marksmanship should be taught in the schools. It would do a lot to stop children killing themselves and one another will “playing” with a firearm
The same people whom are fine with 3rd and fourth graders having gender identity and exploration classes and “workshops” are against firearms training? They sell all of their b s. by asking ” Would you want them to be taught by kids on the street corner?” The nutjobs have truly gotten ahold of the keys to the asylum.
Not being from FL it’s tough to determine how to take this…
One thing’s for certain, however: Training average public schools kids today in true marksmanship skills and seeing them reach a level of competency might require more, in the areas of self -discipline, concentration and overall mental awareness than any of the “rigors” of the celebrated STEM courses demand.
Of course, as in the other area of coursework, the grading standard would likely depend on the student’s intention and understanding of the indoctrination provided by people who absolutely hate firearms rather than ever finding th X-ring.
pass/ fail. some failures as a badge of honor.
Pass/fail grading is down right STUPID! It does not measure how much of the subject the student learned.
It’s kind of like that “everyone gets a trophy” mentality we see today.
Had a few old-school college professors who considered a B the “do the work, study, ace the test” grade. Getting an A required extra effort on the student’s part, like doing original research outside the classwork.
drednicolson. Works for me!
Public safety classes as well as drivers ed should be pass/fail. Either they pass the class or have to retake it. Introduction to firearms should be at least 10 days of instruction. Learning legal responsibilities and how to clean and care for a firearm takes the mystery out of it.
rt66paul We don’t need 10 days of firearms instruction. that is ludicrious. A Firearms Safety Class can be taught in eight hours or less.
Legal responsibilities is an entirely different class. It’ also called use of force.
My son said he was surprised by how much subtle technique was applied in target shooting. And he was a state level competitor for 6 years in the athletic walk and is an excellent swimmer.
He realized target shooting involves a lot of concentration and precise minute muscle control. And dialed up to 11 in service shooting because you have to shoot when you’re not 100% ready.
frank cerabino certainly has his panties in a wad. Only a closet child abductor would have a problem with marksmanship taught early in schools.
Don’t know how serious this candidate is, but anyone who can make the anti gun people this crazy deserves my vote. Plus with this attitude he is more likely to do something about the ATF as well as hacking away at the NFA.
https://youtu.be/LrxjYfl05ek
To clarify my comments above: I have no issuevwith teaching “marksmanship” in public schools. Requiring it, however? Marksmanship? That’s a stretch.
Perhaps firearms safety in some manner would be a better proposition. Not to long ago, NRA’s Eddie Eagle program was lauded and won awards from organizations such as Good Housekeeping. While not a true firearms safety program, it’s 4 simple “rules” were simple to learn and fairly universal for young kids to apply.
However, after spending 40 years in the public education cesspool, it’s difficult for me to imagine any mainstream “firearms-related” course today resulting in any conclusion other than a gun-banning, public disarmament propaganda proposition. YMMV.
Any “teacher” that won’t pickup a firearm is fired. Litimus test.
Nope. They lost it at “mandatory”. There’s a difference between “the right to” and “compulsion to”.
Why not? The libs get sex ed in school and other propaganda. We can teach them something about The Constitution while we’re at it.
Taking the 9YO to an Appleseed shoot in a couple weeks, getting gear ready. Should be fun.
Awesome program. I took all my kids to a 1/2 dozen Appleseeds.
If you have not done so, read their hints for success at their website. A 10/22 (or comparable) with good iron sights (NOT RUGER factory crap), and a mil sling are essential for success
When I was in High School in California 1963-1966 we had a NRA sponsored gun range and competition with other High Schools. We were allowed to bring our single fire .22 long rifles to school and after classes go to the school range and train and compete. It was purely voluntary and we had to bring our own weapons and ammo! Not one person ever got hurt and it was a lot of fun! We could leave the guns in our cars or in our lockers! Also the YMCA and Boy Scouts had gun courses and ranges when we were in middle school/Junior High grades 6-8 and at the summer camps. I got my first .22 long rifle – a Ruger, at 12 years old. My dad kept it and the ammo locked up in a gun closet that I did not have access to. We use to take our guns on camping trips and attended the local Police Department Gun Range often. The police officers would train us! We respected the police! We all were Safety Certified by NRA and many of us hunted with our friends and family. Again no one ever got hurt and no one ever committed a crime! We all respected the weapons and the responsibility needed to own and use one! What happened????
exploring our high school (five interconnected bldgs, 6k students, 1500 my grad class) basement we discovered long shuttered rotc ranges, archery and bowling lanes. referendums probably did not cover the latter…
as a ten year old the choice was between a grueling road trip in a ’68 lesabre to arizona, three across in the back seat flanked by sisters, or ymca camp echo.
three weeks later i had some proficiency with single shot bolt action .22’s.
granted, that was the only vehicle we had with ac. but nana regularly sprayed “that new car smell” aerosol into the upholstery so the carcinogenic vinyl/ cloth essence continued to exude. only car i ever felt nauseous in. not counting hangovers.
“My grades are pretty good, Mom. I would have had all A’s and B’s, but I had a misfire in my Glock lab.”
Aside from the fact that such ‘training’ may only sometimes include a .22 cal rifle or maybe an air rifle (pellet gun maybe) on a closed, supervised, and safe range with qualified experienced instructors and does not use hand guns – no one gets a bad mark for a “misfire”
Lol
Upside down and backwards.
What school marksmanship class uses Glocks? My son is in high school, but is dual enrolled in college. He’s taking marksmanship at the college this semester. They use bolt action .22s and Ruger Mark IV pistols.
Seems every High School has Driver’s Ed, yet young drivers are vastly over-represented in vehicular accidents and deaths. Why don’t we just restrict driving to those over twenty-one?
No high schools around here have had Driver’s Ed in decades. They expect you to pay hundreds of dollars to a special school for that.
Same in Iowa. Held at the school by private contractors.
My kids have a 25mi one way drive to HS, in all weather conditions. Makes good drivers by gaining experience (under controlled conditions)
F & B: You must be from Kallifornikadia. We have more motor vehicles on our streets than many states combined yet few if any high schools have driver’s ed. I was in a small town in southeast Kansas several years ago where “rush hour traffic” is four cars at the sole traffic light in town. I know that they had at least six cars for driver’s elf because that’s how many I counted on the streets with students learning to drive.
Here it is all commercial and the kids have to learn from Dad or Mom. Probably the two worst people to learn how to drive from.
Marksmanship is pointless in a “gun-free world”.
I am generally opposed to firearm training in schools.
Unless, the training results in kids becoming expert at rapid, error-free, magazine swaps.
Leftists: “The Second Amendment was only meant to establish a [government-trained] well-regulated militia.”
Also Leftists: “Government institutions training a well-regulated militia is a special kind of crazy.”
“the teenage vigilante Kyle Rittenhouse…”
Stupid detected. Cordoning off the area around Frank Cerabino to contain the spread of the stupid. Anti-stupid protocols activated.
Would Cerabino be more comfortable with teaching children how to be shifty shady lack of integrity and character grifting politicians who sponge off the taxpayers while making millions enriching themselves and their families and producing nothing? Come to think of it, he would, since that’s what they’re doing across public schools…..Yeah, marksmanship is just crazy but 62 different genders is totally legit….
if you squint 62 looks like cz.
just wondering, is your moniker derived from the same alien tongue as “chaz furnd” and “frud nyuk?”
Maybe use the internet to find out.
It is Florida. So yes.
@Fire and Brimstone
“When I was in high school the gym teachers decided to screw over the kids who signed up for archery and fencing…”
Was a member of the university fencing team (an all volunteer team, not sponsored by the university; fencers paid for everything individually). Ours was a mixed team. Went to several regional matches, but after watching the “top” fencers all use a single form of attack, flèche, (essentially running at an opponent), we decided to confine our team to practicing and learning at our university.
We were fortunate to have an athletics coach (who was a serious fencing competitor) work with us. Unfortunately, it was over twenty years after college that I found another fencing team…two hours away. Really miss the sport.
if you’ve got three hours to spare “the life and death of colonel blimp” has an international duel (satisfaction) and the resultant scars as a central theme.
“you make fun of my moustasche, but you don’t know why i grew it!”
“if you’ve got three hours to spare “the life and death of colonel blimp” has an international duel (satisfaction) and the resultant scars as a central theme.”
Thanx for the tip.
Yes, there should be Firearms training in ALL schools in the USA; it should begin with respect and understanding of the DANGERS, and progress into actual use as you go up in years. Been saying this for the decades now. It’s about time it starts to get exposure on the political frontlines.
I agree.
The schools in my area were beginning to introduce archery a couple years ago, but it all went away when the covid lockdown baloney hit. My daughter shot for a year, and really enjoyed it. There was one youngster, maybe age 6 or 7, who always shot with his older brother. They had to crank that Genesis bow all the way down so he could draw it. He’d grab that string, rear back, wobble around for a few seconds, then settle down and release. The arrow would make a high arc and usually bounce off the target butt, but he hit it every time but the first shot and everyone would applaud, and he didn’t quit. Probably see him in the Olympics in 10-15 years if they give him half a chance. What in the world can possibly be wrong with that?
Mandatory gun safety classes would be a good idea. But then we have the problem that there are more good ideas than hours in the school day. An optional, after hours gun safety class, that was free or nearly so, would be feasible.
Ask the people who object to gun education if they feel the same way about sex education. The argument in favor of the latter, with which I agree, is that accurate knowledge leads to better outcomes than ignorance. It applies equally to firearms.
I think riflery in high school would be a great idea. Again. But, again, I don’t understand. My children began shooting a .22 rifle by five. A .22 handgun by seven and center fire of both by 10. Shotguns fell in there somewhere along the way. Why would anyone trust their children’s firearms training to the public school system?
Because there are kids that are raised by one parent only that works 2 jobs and doesn’t have the money/time/expertise to teach them to shoot. Learning gun safety could just save a life if a bunch of kids find a firearm that has been ditched and could be loaded.
Younger kids have to be taught to find an adult if the find a firearm, but in some neighborhoods, and older kid(middle school or higher) might be a better choice than the adults that live in the ‘hood.
Your kids are lucky. Not every kid has parents who are willing and able to teach them about firearms. There are a lot of parents out there who are indoctrinating their children into their far-left, anti-gun cult. Programs that teach marksmanship in schools could change the way these kids think about guns. I have never seen a kid shoot a .22 for the first time and not be excited to do it again. Last, these classes would “trigger” a lot of woke leftist parent’s who are used to getting their way and that is always fun.
Hmmm …..way back in ’73 I attended a grades 10-12 high school that taught students how to shoot a rifle chambered in.22LR and students had to be able to disassemble and reassemble a M-14 while totally blindfolded within 60 seconds to pass the class. I already had 8 yrs or more experience with the first, and set the school record on the latter.
My my how times have changed….for the worse.
Our school also had a Rifle team that competed against other schools Rifle teams.
Country, that would have been fun. We just had to settle for shooting squirrels in the head with a .22. The young ones fry up to a nice golden brown. The older, tougher ones you may have to smother fry in a brown gravy for a couple of hours to get them tender. Either way, over a bed of white rice it was grub. Whoever shot the most squirrels won the match.
another government mandate on what to teach in school is a dumb idea. that said if he’s serious then please run a bill instead of wasting time and taxpayer money popping off on twitter.
Pellet riffles or Daisy BB gunms
JUST PRAY THEY LEARN TO READ SAFTY MANUELS , TAKE DOWN AND CLEAN .
ALONG WITH KNOW / TAUGHT ABOUT OUR CONSTITUTION ALL OF IT .
WHY RIOT OF JAN 6TH SOOO WRONG .
????
Yes, public schools need a standard series of courses in safe and responsible living.
Do not stand on the very top of a ladder.
Stoves are hot.
Don’t run with scissors.
Do not touch your eyes or face when working with super glue.
Rules of gun safety, learn them. There will be a quiz!
etc … etc … etc …
But Marksmanship? I’m good with it being an elective class, a school team. There’s a fine idea. But not a required course.
Should be middle school.
Back in the long ago we had a basic hunter’s safety and gun safety course in 6th grade. Was not mandatory, but elective for those who wanted it. Taught by the local DNR Game Warden. He was also the local NRA course instructor. Worked as a school bus driver as well.
Anyway, for the course we had several hours of class room instruction ( 55 min. class period)
Followed with 2 half days of going to the range ( Friday after lunch) passing the written test and the basic marksmanship on the range got you a hunters safety certificate. Which meant you could get a hunting license at 12 instead of waiting until you were 16.
Checked with my cousin who still lives in the same town I went to school in. They dropped the course from the school in 2000. Now anyone who wants the course must take it in the church basement and get to the range on their own. School claimed they didn’t think it appropriate to have kids bringing rifles to school, or allowing children to learn about firearms in school.
Joker automatically thinks marksmanship involves a Glock. SMH When I started Friday night Junior Rifle League, everyone started with air rifle. When I was in charge of firing range at kids’ camp, two youngest age ranges shot air rifle. When I shot Intercollegiate Pistol, my best event was air pistol.
Training the youth of this great nation to know how to use tools that can save and preserve freedom and our lives, appears fundamentally natural to me. Perhaps I am tainted by the fact I was drafted at a young age, and that military training and experience made me realize the power and destruction that evil can inflict. There is real evil in this World! It can take your life or leave you incapacitated forever when you least expect it.
I for one will be more comfortable when people realize weapons are important tools needed to maintain and preserve freedom, which by the way really is not free!
Like all work tools we must be trained to understand when and how to use them for the appropriate task, this is critical in our world, without question. Just look around, after you wake up, and appreciate that evil manifests itself and threatens our existence daily, in so many forms. That evil takes many forms and has many faces that reach out and confront each of us and our loved ones. If we want to protect everyone, we all have to be of a like mind. We cannot let our guard down. Do not confuse the tool with the brains behind it. Why? Because the tool of choice makes a difference on its impact, affect and result. Every tool has a purpose and the person behind that tool has the responsibility for its proper use, good or evil.
Our real enemy is our failure to recognize and acknowledge Evil. We must identify and correct those who practice evil. We must reform them. But caution must be exercised to avoid becoming defenseless and becoming victims. All of us must train and defend ourselves so we can control the forces of evil. Never let our guard down. Train and define how to protect our values and how to protect ourselves. Attend to those who will do harm to innocent humans.
To fail to train and educate those young children behind us is tantamount to sealing their fate to death. To fail to recognize and understand self-defense needs and allowing ourselves to disarm, is a fool’s journey. We need to identify methods for our society to embrace humanity, help those lost souls appearing across this great Nation in ever larger numbers. Bring back our caring and loving society by assisting and teaching those who are seeing hard times those more vulnerable to evil to respect Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
Most importantly, elect public representative that understand their role of supporting Americans not ruling them. Let’s all walk together not over each other. Always be prepared!
“I for one will be more comfortable when people realize weapons are important tools needed to maintain and preserve freedom…”
That’s what government is for. We are way beyond the time where people should be defending themselves. The military protects us from foreign enemies, and if there is an invasion, we can all head for the Canadian wilderness (most of the country).
It is government’s responsibility to provide freedom, safety and a nice life without struggle. We are a modern society, not hardy pioneers. If it is up to the individual to protect themselves, family and country, we are already lost.
Sir, with all due respect. This is a Democratic Republic “Of the People, By the People and For the People”. We the People are responsible for all elements of our government. Simply ask the population of Ukraine, Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, North Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and many African nations and there are more.
See the forest through the trees my friend. If you want to leave your freedom and civil rights in the hands of others (Politicians/Oligarchs) perhaps you should ask those folks that trust their live to a “Government”. There is also a reason our borders are being over-run by hundreds of thousands of freedom seeking people. Perhaps your not awake yet. Just think about it. Are you from Chicago perhaps?
Wow . This was common practice in California where I grew up in the mid sixties. It was called Hunter’s Safety Course. At the end of a two week course those who owned a rifle could check it in at the office before school, pick it up after school and walk uptown to the gun range to use during the last day of the course. It was a required course to get haunting license at age 12. Imagine that, and there was zero, I’ll say again zero shooting. Go figure. . .
Nice to see your response, David. All I can say is common sense is not common, I guess.
I also recall a time, not too long ago, when the government (selective service) enforced the discipline of shared responsibility for Americans to share in the support of our freedom by participating in our national defense through the draft. Today we have an “all-volunteer fighting force” of excellent young men and women. They should not be the only ones that bear the burden of protecting this Great Country, The United States of America. Protecting our lifestyle, our constitution and our freedom is a burden for all Americans, they should not all go to war to defend it, but they need to be prepared should the need arise.
In my mind we cannot and must not allow ourselves to let evil and lawless citizens cause us to disarm and hide. We need to address lawlessness and discipline. Those who fail to be law abiding citizens must never have any type of weapon at their disposal. They seem to have the upper hand at the moment and are wreaking havoc upon this great society. The rule of law applies to all Americans. Protecting our lives, society and citizenry is objective number one!
I believe we need to take our country back and expel all enemies, foreign and domestic. The law needs to represent that will. I hate no person. I hate conflict! Learning defensive skills is appropriate for the foreseeable future.
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