In an era when gun violence, including school shootings, has become more prevalent, making gun regulation subject to strict scrutiny will make schools less safe.

Notwithstanding the misleading language of the gun amendment, Iowans’ Second Amendment rights are not on the ballot. Those rights are already guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. If Iowans vote yes to the gun amendment, we become one of four states to make it harder to regulate gun ownership. The other three, Louisiana, Alabama, and Missouri, are among five states with the highest rates of gun deaths in the United States.

If the gun amendment passes, the few safeguards we have against gun violence are at risk. Because the safety of ICCSD students is a top priority, we will be voting NO to Public Measure 1 and hope you will do the same.

-Board Member, Maka Pilcher Hayek, writing on behalf of the Iowa City Community School District School Board

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.