Should We Arm Our Teachers?

[bodecea]

Some states and local jurisdictions are considering or have already passed laws allowing teachers, faculty and other campus staff to carry firearms on campus. Additionally, the NRA is recommending this as a step to improve school security.
Supporters claim it means tragic massacres of students could be avoided if teachers could defend themselves against armed fanatics to the same degree.

But is this a good idea?

Sure. Why not?

 

[bodecea]

Give them grenades too. In case it's a group that attacks the school.

Flamethrowers would be cooler. (no pun intended)

 

[August West]

Give them grenades too. In case it's a group that attacks the school.

Here's an idea: Let MY children go to an "armed" school while YOUR children go to an unarmed school. OK?

And mandate that they publicly post big signs stating their school is not protected by armed staff......

A gun guy trying to help the criminals. Good job billc.

 

[2aguy]

well, I am trying to think like a liberal....you know how they like to coddle criminals....

 

[thereisnospoon]

Some states and local jurisdictions are considering or have already passed laws allowing teachers, faculty and other campus staff to carry firearms on campus. Additionally, the NRA is recommending this as a step to improve school security.
Supporters claim it means tragic massacres of students could be avoided if teachers could defend themselves against armed fanatics to the same degree.

But is this a good idea?

A small town in Texas 30 miles from the nearest Law Enforcement department headquarters has done this already

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

"Should We Arm Our Teachers?"

Of course not.

The notion is reckless and irresponsible, completely devoid of merit.

 

[NoNukes]

Some states and local jurisdictions are considering or have already passed laws allowing teachers, faculty and other campus staff to carry firearms on campus. Additionally, the NRA is recommending this as a step to improve school security.
Supporters claim it means tragic massacres of students could be avoided if teachers could defend themselves against armed fanatics to the same degree.

But is this a good idea?

Why is it needed in the United States and not in other countries. This is what needs to be addressed.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Some states and local jurisdictions are considering or have already passed laws allowing teachers, faculty and other campus staff to carry firearms on campus. Additionally, the NRA is recommending this as a step to improve school security.
Supporters claim it means tragic massacres of students could be avoided if teachers could defend themselves against armed fanatics to the same degree.

But is this a good idea?

It is a good idea for criminals and nuts to think they might encounter an armed person if they victimize a school.

No teacher should be forced to carry; no untrained person should be allowed to carry.

Most principals I worked for had a pistol in their desk.

That ended about 20 years ago, as the school shootings started.

Whew! What bullshit! You might be the most dishonest former educator I know.

 

[LoneLaugher]

I just get irked when gun nuts proclaim them as a cure for everything.

They don't cure cancer.....but they do stop violent criminal attack about 1.6 million times a year.......

That's ridiculous.

 

[MXdad]

We should arm the students.

When I first began teaching there were scores of guns in the student parking lot, most openly displayed in gun racks.

The only school shooting was of a spike buck that made the mistake of trying to graze on the newly planted baseball diamond.

Drawn and quartered after being shot, he was barbequed in the ag shop and served to all who wanted some.

Sounds like we could have attended the same school LOL

 

[MXdad]

There was an armed guard at Columbine and another one near by. So much for that idea. Of course the gun/criminal lobby supports this because they are paid to push gun sales.

You really should know the facts on a story before jumping in and appearing clueless

After the bombs failed to detonate, Harris and Klebold began shooting students eating lunch outside. Deputy Gardner was notified of the shooting by a custodian within three minutes of the first shot, and had to drive around the campus to enter the parking lot where the shooting took place. It took him two minutes to arrive. He confronted the shooters in the parking lot, about five minutes after the first shot was fired. Deputy Gardner exchanged fire with Harris and Klebold, which stopped the pair from firing at students. Gardner's actions allow teacher Patti Nielson and student Brian Anderson (who were both shot at and injured) to escape and survive.

FACT CHECK Columbine High s armed guard saved student lives - National Republican Examiner.com

 

[jon_berzerk]

There was an armed guard at Columbine and another one near by. So much for that idea. Of course the gun/criminal lobby supports this because they are paid to push gun sales.

bs the "armed" guard was not even on school grounds at the time the shooting started

nor was the "unarmed" guard on the school grounds at the time the shooting started

they both had been off campus watching another parking lot where

kids gathered to smoke cigarettes

 

[jon_berzerk]

There was an armed guard at Columbine and another one near by. So much for that idea. Of course the gun/criminal lobby supports this because they are paid to push gun sales.

The armed guard at Columbine exchanged fire with the perpetrators and allowed many students to escape.

after he arrived on the scene he was off school grounds when it started

 

[Roadrunner]

Horrible idea. It would be far more likely a teacher would accidently shoot a student than ever even be in a position to defend them, let alone qualified to act. Having a concealed carry permit does not mean your are even vaguely competent with a firearm.

"It would be far more likely a teacher would accidently shoot a student" because that is how you FEEL.

There is no evidence that how YOU feel means jackshit.

 

[PratchettFan]

Horrible idea. It would be far more likely a teacher would accidently shoot a student than ever even be in a position to defend them, let alone qualified to act.

You have statistics to support this?
How many armed teachers have accidentally shot a student?

Having a concealed carry permit does not mean your are even vaguely competent with a firearm.

Neither does carrying a badge and police credentials -- but you have no issue with cops carrying guns.

Police go through extensive and ongoing training. It is not the same thing as spending a couple of hours shooting at targets. Police have to actually qualify, the CC student only has to show up. I have three cards myself, and not one of them required I demonstrate I can hit anything.

There is an old saying that guns don't kill people, people kill people. That is true. It is also true that guns don't save people, people do. The idea that putting a gun in the hand of an untrained and untried person, in the middle of a bunch of children, and they are going to suddenly turn into John Wayne in an emergency is pure fantasy. The most likely scenario is they are just going to be another source of wild firing. And that does not address the issue of the weapons being in the school to begin with, loaded, unlocked and accessible. If you don't see the potential for disaster there then you really need to start thinking. Not everything in the movies is real.

There are no stats on this because the stupidity is only just beginning. When the stats begin, I'm sure people will find someone to blame it on.

 

[Brain357]

Some states and local jurisdictions are considering or have already passed laws allowing teachers, faculty and other campus staff to carry firearms on campus. Additionally, the NRA is recommending this as a step to improve school security.
Supporters claim it means tragic massacres of students could be avoided if teachers could defend themselves against armed fanatics to the same degree.

But is this a good idea?

So far I've heard of several teachers shooting themselves, but not saving anyone. Good thing they didn't shoot a student.

 

[Brain357]

Horrible idea. It would be far more likely a teacher would accidently shoot a student than ever even be in a position to defend them, let alone qualified to act. Having a concealed carry permit does not mean your are even vaguely competent with a firearm.

"It would be far more likely a teacher would accidently shoot a student" because that is how you FEEL.

There is no evidence that how YOU feel means jackshit.

Utah teacher accidentally shoots herself in leg at elementary school - LA Times

 

[PratchettFan]

Horrible idea. It would be far more likely a teacher would accidently shoot a student than ever even be in a position to defend them, let alone qualified to act. Having a concealed carry permit does not mean your are even vaguely competent with a firearm.

"It would be far more likely a teacher would accidently shoot a student" because that is how you FEEL.

There is no evidence that how YOU feel means jackshit.

Utah teacher accidentally shoots herself in leg at elementary school - LA Times

Obviously it was Obama's fault.

 

[Nosmo King]

Some states and local jurisdictions are considering or have already passed laws allowing teachers, faculty and other campus staff to carry firearms on campus. Additionally, the NRA is recommending this as a step to improve school security.
Supporters claim it means tragic massacres of students could be avoided if teachers could defend themselves against armed fanatics to the same degree.

But is this a good idea?

March 30, 1981. Four men are grievously wounded on a street in Washington, D.C.

One was carrying a gun, one was a D.C. police officer. One was the President of the United States.

They were surrounded by the best trained, best armed cadre of security personnel in the history of mankind.

What is Mrs. Futhey and her side arm compared to that and how is she going to be more effective than the United States Secret Service?

 

[2aguy]

Horrible idea. It would be far more likely a teacher would accidently shoot a student than ever even be in a position to defend them, let alone qualified to act.

You have statistics to support this?
How many armed teachers have accidentally shot a student?

Having a concealed carry permit does not mean your are even vaguely competent with a firearm.

Neither does carrying a badge and police credentials -- but you have no issue with cops carrying guns.

Police go through extensive and ongoing training. It is not the same thing as spending a couple of hours shooting at targets. Police have to actually qualify, the CC student only has to show up. I have three cards myself, and not one of them required I demonstrate I can hit anything.

There is an old saying that guns don't kill people, people kill people. That is true. It is also true that guns don't save people, people do. The idea that putting a gun in the hand of an untrained and untried person, in the middle of a bunch of children, and they are going to suddenly turn into John Wayne in an emergency is pure fantasy. The most likely scenario is they are just going to be another source of wild firing. And that does not address the issue of the weapons being in the school to begin with, loaded, unlocked and accessible. If you don't see the potential for disaster there then you really need to start thinking. Not everything in the movies is real.

There are no stats on this because the stupidity is only just beginning. When the stats begin, I'm sure people will find someone to blame it on.

There are countless examples of everyday people with very little training doing the right thing in the middle of this sort of chaos...you rarely see it because it doesn't interest the main stream media outlets....thetruthaboutguns, gunssavelives, and thearmedcitizen sites all collect stories from around the country....mostly from small, local news sources because again, these stories are ignored....and give the impression that they never happen....which is far from true....

No one is expecting teachers or staff to run around the school to engage a shooter, it primarily gives the teacher or staff a chance to stop the attack if they are in the line of fire...also, just the notion that an unknown number of staff are armed and trained is a deterrent to these events...I know of 4 mass shooters who planned their attacks specifically for gun free zones....2 avoided locations they knew would have either armed civilians or police, and the other two planned on killing the police liason officer first to create their own "gun free zone"

And there are several school districts that already have armed teachers and staff and have had them for years......so anti gun propaganda is again coloring the stories....


The best thing to do.....end school gun free zones.....allow law abiding, legally armed parents to carry their weapons with them.....parents are in and out of elementary schools on most days, volunteering or dropping off things for their children....it would be another random armed defender that an attacker would have to account for in their planning....