Should Teachers in Public Schools Carry Guns?

[JulesR]

My school had a day where each class briefed us on the procedure if, heaven forbid, a shooter appeared on campus. My chemistry teacher said that her classroom was probably the safest because there was glass and heavy stuff to throw at the shooter, and I when I thought about it, I just thought “you can’t be serious”. I can’t be expected to chuck a piece of glass at a psycho with a gun. So, my solution would be to give teachers the option of legal concealed carry, especially teachers in areas with a higher risk of a shooting. I wouldn’t want to force teachers to do so, that would be wrong and a violation of their rights, but I think if that was optional and some teachers accepted willfully it would make schools safer.

 

[blackforest]

Welcome to CAF. This is a controversial issue. The CASUAL discussion forum is not an appropriate place to be broaching it.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I’d prefer that teachers teach and that schools put security measures in place, including armed guards if necessary, to stop shooters as needed. Many teachers I have known would not be comfortable going around armed, are not experienced with guns so there’s a high probability they would be fairly useless in a gunfight, and putting the burden of security on them would distract them from doing what their actual job is. If I want someone to protect me I would prefer a trained security guard, ex-military, off-duty cop etc, not some literature professor.

 

[Beryllos]

not experienced with guns so there’s a high probability they would be fairly useless in a gunfight

This is exactly right. Carrying a gun doesn’t automatically make someone a protector. Far more important is the training, and I don’t mean practice at the shooting range, but rather military-type, high-stress, realistic battle training. Few school teachers are going to make that grade.

 

[Xystus]

. Many teachers I have known would not be comfortable going around armed

None of the proposals to allow teachers to carry forces any teacher to actually do so. If they are not comfortable carrying themselves then they simply choose not to carry.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Well, if all the teachers choose not to carry, as is likely to happen in some states, then we haven’t addressed the safety problem at all and we’re in the same place as when we started.

Also, just because a teacher might choose to carry, that doesn’t address the issue of him or her actually knowing enough about how to protect others using a gun that he or she ends up providing any level of meaningful security.

 

[Xystus]

I’m not aware of anyone saying teachers being able to choose to carry is the be all and end all of the school security issue. It is simply a piece of the puzzle that school districts should consider.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

If this is actually about individual teachers’ right to carry because they personally want to do so and feel they should not be restricted, then that’s a different issue from relying on the teacher to protect themself and their class from school shootings.

 

[Xystus]

then that’s a different issue from relying on the teacher to protect themself and their class from school shootings.

I’m not sure where you got this idea. the OP plainly stated…

…give teachers the option of legal concealed carry…

…I wouldn’t want to force teachers to do so…

…if that was optional and some teachers accepted willfully it would make schools safer…

No where did i read, this is all that has to happen. Its just a piece of the puzzle

 

[Tis_Bearself]

My point is that if you want to do something consistent to make schools safer, you put a plan in place that isn’t dependent on whether some individual teacher, who may or may not be skilled with a firearm, wishes to carry.

I wouldn’t want my safety as a student to depend on whether my teacher happened to be a gun owner or whether I happened to be in the gun totin’ teacher’s classroom rather than the classroom of a teacher who chose not to carry, when a shooter comes in the door.

 

[Xystus]

My point is that if you want to do something consistent to make schools safer, you put a plan in place that isn’t dependent on whether some individual teacher, who may or may not be skilled with a firearm, wishes to carry.

My point is that allowing teachers to carry if they so choose is just a piece of the puzzle and nobody that i am aware of making this suggestion is saying school safety is solely dependent on teachers carrying. You don’t have to like the idea but making it out to be that people think this is the be all end all of school security is disingenuous IMO.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I’m just going off the OP’s post. He seemed to think this would make schools safer. I think it’s an unreliable way to make schools safer. Might make individual teachers safer.

 

[Xystus]

I’m just going off the OP’s post. He seemed to think this would make schools safer

Im going off the OP too. in my opinion it would make it safer. Safer means relative to not allowing the option, not absolutely safe and its all that is needed.

 

[JanR]

The 2nd Amendment gives us all the right to defend ourselves. Not only from a tyrannical government, should things come to that, but also from criminals who would harm us and our loved ones.

The world being what it is today, such defense has become necessary, whether we like it or not. If we don’t wish to arm teachers, then armed security guards and/or police officers should be posted on school campuses to defend against a shooter or other violent criminal.

We have to do something. Confiscating legally-owned guns from law abiding citizens leaves them sitting ducks, and the criminals know it. And taking guns away won’t prevent criminals from getting them or using them.

Either arm teachers (optionally), or post armed guards in the schools. I see no other option. Educating people against violence won’t deter someone who is mentally ill or just plain evil.

 

[Beryllos]

We have to do something.

This is the sort of thinking that got us today’s airport security, or as some call it, security theater. I think gun ownership too is not true security, but more of a security blanket.