During the WMUR gubernatorial debate, we were terrified to hear you say that any adult has the right to carry a hidden gun into the classroom. In light of recent school shootings, elected leaders across party lines and across the country have come together to pass common sense gun safety laws. They listened to the concerns of students, of parents and of educators.

You, though, have not been among these leaders. You have not listened to these concerns. Instead, in your first bill signing as Governor, you made our classrooms less safe by allowing anyone in New Hampshire to carry a hidden gun without a permit--even though law enforcement opposed the bill.

You have consistently opposed common sense gun safety laws, such as universal background checks that Democrats and Republicans support. You’ve defended the status quo, saying our state’s gun laws are “pretty darn good.”

We disagree. As educators, parents, and concerned citizens in today’s environment, we worry every single day for our children and communities.

When you had a chance through your school safety task force to address gun violence in schools, you prevented even a conversation about gun safety. That’s wrong. It’s also wrong to boast about “booming” gun sales in the wake of the recent mass shooting in Pittsburgh.

We can’t wait for a tragedy to take action -- we need to enact common sense gun safety measures to prevent a mass shooting today. Molly Kelly understands we need to prevent senseless gun deaths. Like us, she worries about safety in schools, places of worship and our communities.

Your support, expressed in the WMUR debate, for allowing adults to carry hidden guns into schools has spurred us to make absolutely clear to New Hampshire voters that we must elect Molly Kelly in order to protect our students and keep our classrooms and communities safe.

Signed,