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Parents: Ending the violence starts at home

While many are reaching out to lawmakers to help put an end to gun violence in schools, some parents in Maine say this isn't just a political issue and that part of the solution should start at home or in the classroom.

BANGOR (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- While many are reaching out to lawmakers to help put an end to gun violence in schools, some parents in Maine say this isn't just a political issue. Part of the solution, they say, should start at home or in the classroom.

Tighter gun laws and mental health are the topics of a national conversation following last week's school shooting in Florida. The tragedy has sent a ripple effect of anger across the country and has put many students and parents on edge.

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Parents watching the annual high school basketball tournament in Bangor said the discussions still center around the Florida shooting.

"Every time it happens it makes us stop and think." Opal Seeley said.

Seeley said parents have questioned whether a simple solution could lead to big change — connecting with our most at-risk youth to make sure they aren't falling through the cracks.

"I've heard from teachers that sometimes just stopping and asking a kid how their day is or if they have homework or what they are doing after school, just making a connection with those children," Seeley said. "That makes a big difference for them."

Shead High School Principal Paul Theriault agrees with Seeley. He says you never know what a child is dealing with behind closed doors.

"So many kids nowadays, their home life has just changed," Theriault said. "We have a lot of kids I know in our area that don't even know where they are going to sleep tonight or where they are going to get their next meal."

As a father and administrator, he believes it's all about balance and support — something he hopes others remember, not every child is blessed to have.

"There's a lot of pressure from outside of school," Theriault said. "I think there are a lot of mental health issues and a lot of stress that's in peoples lives and who knows what that breaking point is it's different for everybody."

There are plenty of people around the nation who see tighter gun laws and background checks as the solution, but new legislation could take years to pass. These Mainers say their answer could make a difference right now.

"I really think it comes down to the personalization and just being involved in the kids' lives," Seeley said.

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