Rifle raffle for Central Florida high school creates controversy

A flyer is being passed around to students and parents at Astronaut High School showing a picture of an assault rifle, which is being raffled off to students at a local fundraiser.

TITUSVILLE, Fla. - A flyer is being passed around to students and parents at Astronaut High School showing a picture of an assault rifle, which is being raffled off to students at a local fundraiser.

Christian Scarborough is a senior graduating this year at Astronaut High. He said he is considering buying tickets to the raffle, which a friend showed him on social media.

"So just today in class, people were talking. They were confused about the fact that there was any controversy with it. In their opinion, at least the people I talk to, they didn’t see a problem with it," Scarborough said.

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This rifle raffle is the source of worry and confusion among some parents on social media.

Brevard County Public Schools explained that project graduation, the organization behind the raffle, is a non-profit that works with parents of high school seniors to fundraise for senior celebrations.

"We just don’t want our school name associated with a raffle and a raffle for a rifle," Russell Bruhn, Chief Strategic Communications Officer for Brevard County Public Schools, said.

The district is distancing itself from the raffle, stating they have no connection to the project. They also said that not anyone can just walk away with the weapon.

"You buy a ticket, your ticket is called you are the winner. Now, you have to be able to accept the prize. Meaning you have to be an adult, you have to pass a background check, all that stuff. So, like any other raffle, if they were raffling off a car, you couldn’t have a 14-year-old win it," Bruhn said.

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