WEBVTT

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First maths, then history, and finally:

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shooting.

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Weaponry class is now mandatory
in Polish schools

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and could soon become a favorite.

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It feels good to hit the target.

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Shooting is fun.

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Holding a gun in your hands
and shooting feels really cool.

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I think it’s a good idea.

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Life is scary these days,
so you have to be prepared for anything.

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The Nicolaus Copernicus School
in Skarszewy is a normal

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primary school with students
from the first to the eighth grade.

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Differences of opinion are
also handled in the normal way.

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What is less normal
about this school is in the gym,

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where 13- and 14-year-olds arm
themselves with the assault rifles

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and pistols laid out on the table –
under the principal’s supervision.

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It is a compulsory subject
in Polish schools.

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And the lesson content consists only
of assembling and operating weapons.

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With the state of the world today,
I think this type of training

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is very valuable.

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She is referring to Russia's invasion
of Ukraine, right next door.

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Poland feels threatened and wants
its young people to be able to 

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handle weapons as early as possible.

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They’re not too young to shoot
because the passion for shooting,

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like any sport, develops
from an early age.

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That’s why the ministry has ordered
firearms training for all pupils.

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They don't use live ammunition,
but lasers.

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A green light means 'hit'.

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Krzysztof Papadis developed
and is marketing the system.

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His order books are full.

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There are 18,000 schools in Poland.

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All of them will get this equipment
as part of their safety training.

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Shooting lessons were voluntary
until three months ago.

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Parents seem not to have complained
about them – on the contrary.

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We are very proud that our children
want to be on the right side of history,

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to defend our country and to be patriotic.

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My daughter is 14 years old
and in the eighth grade.

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I feel she is capable
of making her own decisions

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about her future and knows
what she wants to do in life.

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In Gdańsk, just a few kilometers away,
business is brisk

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at Krzysztof Gąsior's gun shop.

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He sees the shooting lessons
for teenagers

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as a logical introduction
to the gun-friendly Polish society.

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We have relatively very easy access
to firearms, probably one of the most

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liberal laws in Europe right now.

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Poland finally came to the point
that we can legally own firearms.

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Procedures are very easy going.

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And in a way it’s much
easier to obtain a gun license

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in Poland than a driving license.

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There is very little protest
against shooting lessons for pupils.

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Dissenting voices like this are rare.

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What’s happening is really sad
but that’s Poland.

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There’s already so much violence
and now they’ve introduced this.

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You’re afraid to go outside.

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They aren’t mature enough yet.

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Teaching these skills could backfire
on us all.

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In the gym in Skarszewy,
the shooting lesson is winding down.

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The kids may have grown used to
the cool feeling of holding a gun

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but what about in a real-life situation:

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Would they really shoot at others?

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Me? Yes.

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I’m not afraid of challenges.

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But I wouldn’t do it
without a good reason.

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I think I could do it
but it would be tough.

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Yes, if my life or my friends or my
family were in danger, I’d do it.

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Mission accomplished.

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The mandatory shooting lessons
are unique in Europe.

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The aim is to prepare primary school
children to defend Poland in the future –

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even if they are just children now,
who just want to play,

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just for the fun of it.