A 13-year-old from the Bay Area made national headlines Wednesday when he brought White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to tears while asking her about the current administration's efforts to keep children safe from school shootings.
Benje Choucroun, who attends Marin Country School in Corte Madera, California, was on-assignment with Time for Kids during White House Sports and Fitness Day when he asked a question on gun violence in school that went viral.
"At my school, we recently had a lockdown drill," Choucroun said standing up, surrounded by other reporters who were at the White House press briefing. "One thing that affects mine and other students' mental health is the worry about the fact that we or our friends could get shot at school. Specifically, can you tell me what the administration has done and will do to prevent these sen
Sanders, amom of three, responded, choking back her tears.
"As a kid and certainly as a parent, there is nothing that can be more terrifying than a kid to go to school and not feel safe," she said, "This administration takes it seriously, and the school safety commission that the president convened is meeting this week again in an official meeting to discuss the best way forward and how we can do every single thing within our power to protect kids in our schools, and make them feel safe and their parents feel good about dropping them off."
Pres. Trump is scheduled to meet with the victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting on May 31.
The video of their exchange has been shared multiple times on social media, and many are calling Choucroun a hero for asking the question. "Benje for president!" one Twitter user said.
Local
Benje Choucroun also spoke out against gun violence during the March For Our Lives rally in San Francisco in March. At that time he marched with his mother along with hundreds of others, calling for stricter gun control laws. In an interview with NBC Bay Area, Choucroun – who has his own YouTube channel – said that he was marching in support of gun control.
"I'm here because I'm really concerned about the lax gun laws that the NRA are pushing Republicans to make,” he said at the end of the rally. “I want to protect the students in our schools so that they don’t get killed like those in Parkland and other school shootings."
Benje Choucrouni is 13; he has his own YouTube channel and wants Congress to pass background checks, ban assault rifles and bump stocks. #March4OurLives #MarchForOurLivesSF pic.twitter.com/qLlU7aeiY1
— Riya (@loislane28) March 24, 2018
Benje Choucroun for President. #Benje2040
— Dave (@davely) May 30, 2018
What a brave student journalist - asking a very serious question that no child should have to ask. Great job Benje Choucroun. https://t.co/baAab7RlQM
— Anne Marie Petersen (@ampetersen) May 30, 2018
Way to go Benje Choucroun, #Marin is proud of you! https://t.co/ExappvrdTb
— Vicki Larson (@OMGchronicles) May 30, 2018
