- Moderator
- #21
Closing argument.
My view on allowing staff and teachers in school to be armed is no longer in strict opposition but still extremely wary - I can't come up with a good reason to prohibit it if it is allowed within certain parameters.
My objections - objections which have not been adequately addressed as of yet are:
- school shootings are exceedingly rare and no evidence has been provided to show otherwise
- weapons can and do fall into the wrong hands through carelessness and inattention or, even simple theft and this could happen if weapons were allowed on school property
- liability - like it or not, is a real issue and has yet to be worked out - who will be responsible in the event a teacher or staff inadvertently shoots an innocent person or has leaves his gun unattended or has it stolen?
- the main argument given to counter my concerns is that you are willing to accept a certain amount of collateral damage if it might prevent a mass shooting. This I can not easily accept.
Despite that - I really can't come up with a good argument in opposition as long as the following conditions are met:
- anyone wanting to bring a weapon onto school grounds must meet stringent qualifications in much the same way as police do including training, psychological testing and annual updating.
- there must be some system of accountability when things go wrong - I simply can't accept "collateral damage"
- there must be some system to ensure the guns are safely secured at all times and not left in the restroom for students to pick up. The first time something happens - that staff member loses all rights to bring a weapon.
- the parents, who's kids are in those schools, should have some input on this decision. I suspect in some areas they won't have an issue with it while in others they will - either way, their opinion matters.
So, my position is now cautiously in favor of certain staff and teachers being allowed to be armed in schools within strict parameters
My view on allowing staff and teachers in school to be armed is no longer in strict opposition but still extremely wary - I can't come up with a good reason to prohibit it if it is allowed within certain parameters.
My objections - objections which have not been adequately addressed as of yet are:
- school shootings are exceedingly rare and no evidence has been provided to show otherwise
- weapons can and do fall into the wrong hands through carelessness and inattention or, even simple theft and this could happen if weapons were allowed on school property
- liability - like it or not, is a real issue and has yet to be worked out - who will be responsible in the event a teacher or staff inadvertently shoots an innocent person or has leaves his gun unattended or has it stolen?
- the main argument given to counter my concerns is that you are willing to accept a certain amount of collateral damage if it might prevent a mass shooting. This I can not easily accept.
Despite that - I really can't come up with a good argument in opposition as long as the following conditions are met:
- anyone wanting to bring a weapon onto school grounds must meet stringent qualifications in much the same way as police do including training, psychological testing and annual updating.
- there must be some system of accountability when things go wrong - I simply can't accept "collateral damage"
- there must be some system to ensure the guns are safely secured at all times and not left in the restroom for students to pick up. The first time something happens - that staff member loses all rights to bring a weapon.
- the parents, who's kids are in those schools, should have some input on this decision. I suspect in some areas they won't have an issue with it while in others they will - either way, their opinion matters.
So, my position is now cautiously in favor of certain staff and teachers being allowed to be armed in schools within strict parameters
