In the wake of the Newtown, Conn. school massacre, Professor Lisa McElroy took part in a Dec. 18 discussion on HuffPost Live of the prospects for restricting access to assault weapons.

With resistance to gun control appearing to soften in the wake of the massacre and the potential for a retirement on the Supreme Court, McElroy said lawmakers and President Obama have an “incredible opportunity” to appoint a justice who would take a different view of the Second Amendment, in light of recent rulings that make it difficult to prevent mass shootings.

McElroy joined Huffington Post political correspondent Sam Stein, Arizona State Representative Matt Heinz and author Cliff Schecter for the discussion, which aired live online.

On Dec. 16, McElroy wrote in Redbook’s Mamarama blog about the dilemmas parents face in deciding what to tell young children about dangers that can arise in their lives and even visit their classrooms.

The same day, the Dorf on Law blog published McElroy’s essay describing her anxieties as a parent in a society where assault weapons are readily accessible.

On Dec. 14, the Huffington Post published McElroy’s essay on the urgent need for the Supreme Court to revisit its most recent Second Amendment rulings, which have made it difficult to restrict most gun sales and leave the general public vulnerable to mass shootings.