The Biden administration has been caught holding back federal education funding from schools that have hunting and archery programs for students.
There is reportedly funding in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 that is earmarked for archery and hunting programs n schools. But Biden is now refusing to relinquish the funds saying that the Democrats’ gun control package now prevents such use for federal funds.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), amended a subsection in the ESEA to prohibit any act to provide dangerous weapons or pay for “training in the use of a dangerous weapon.”
But Sen. John Cornyn (R, TX) who sponsored the anti-Second Amendment measure with the Democrats says he is now trying to get the language amended to allow the school funding and has been going to schools for nearly 60 years.
“We were alarmed to learn recently that the Department of Education has misinterpreted the BCSA to require the defending of certain longstanding educational and enrichment programs — specifically, archery and hunter education classes — for thousands of children, who rely on these programs to develop life skills, learn firearm safety and build self-esteem,” Cornyn said in a recent letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
“The Department mistakenly believes that the BSCA precludes funding these enrichment programs. Such an interpretation contradicts congressional intent and the text of the BSCA,” Cornyn added.
But Cornyn’s wide-eyed surprise is not sitting well with supporters of the finding.
“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,” Tommy Floyd, the president of the National Archery in the Schools Program, told 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.”
“You’ve got every fish and wildlife agency out there working so hard to utilize every scrap of funding, not only for the safety and hunter education, but for the general understanding of why stewardship is so important when it comes to natural resources,” he continued. “Any guidance where it’s even considered a ‘maybe’ or a prohibition for shooting sports is a huge negative.”
Others agreed.
“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 so that they can go afield knowing how to keep themselves, their friends, and family safe,” Ben Cassidy, executive vice president for international government and public affairs at Safari Club International (SCI), told Fox.
“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,” he continued. “SCI and our membership will be eagerly awaiting the Education Department’s response to the letter from Senators Cornyn and Tillis, and we won’t hesitate to take further action to protect hunters’ rights.”
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