Guns in School: Teachers carrying firearms

Teachers in 42 states are allowed to do firearm training (McGarvey)

School shootings have been a major concern across the United States. Safety is a top priority for the students, and people have been finding ways to ensure that they are the safest as possible in the event of a school shooting.

The topic of teachers carrying guns in schools has been a long-lasting debate. Teachers are allowed to carry guns in schools in 32 states. Many states are opposed to this idea because there have been many reports of teachers leaving their guns around school, giving students potentially easy access to a firearm. 

So, what are the facts? How does one make an informed opinion regarding this controversial topic?

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A teacher from Ohio named Mandi protected her students from a gunman without a firearm. She had to use classroom supplies to stop the gunman.

Support vs. Rejection:

43% of Americans support the idea of teachers carrying guns in school. Most support comes from gun owners. Many people argue that bringing guns onto school campuses makes the school environment more dangerous, while others believe it will make it safer. Research  shows there is no evidence of an increase in safety from teachers carrying guns. Although a majority does not want teachers carrying a firearm, many parents put their trust into these teachers that take the time to learn how to use a firearm to protect students.          

Training:

Teachers have to go through training courses in order to carry firearms in school. The courses are offered for free. Training has been offered to all teachers in 42 states.

During the course, teachers learn firearm safety and practice using the firearms on targets. Teachers are taught how to conceal their gun while in a school environment. “Armed colleagues have already taught Angie where to conceal her firearm, how to wear it so children can’t feel it when she hugs them” (Kinney). 

School resource officers:

91% of school resource officers carry firearms on them. Resource officers are a good source of protection, but highly trained police only hit their target 18% of the time. “Having SROs in schools can actually create higher rates of behavioral incidents and spikes in suspensions, expulsions, and arrests” (Paterson). Since SRO’s are actively armed while on campus, they can respond to an active shooter as fast as possible.

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“My biggest question, though, is during a lockdown, what should that teacher do — stay with students while others are gunned down? Leave students so they can hunt a shooter, trusting children to stay where they are?”

Parental concerns:

Many parents are opposed to teachers carrying guns in schools. There have been “100 publicly reported incidents of mishandled guns at schools in the last five years” (Drane). Some examples of mishandled guns are, “A teacher’s loaded gun falling from his waistband during a cartwheel”, a “student grabbing an officer’s gun while the officer attempted to subdue the student”, and a “teacher unintentionally firing a gun in class during a safety demonstration” (Drane). Most parents don’t trust the teachers carrying weapons around their kids because they fear the teachers will misuse them because of the few examples shown above.

Teacher’s perspective – pro-guns:

A teacher from Ohio named Mandi protected her students from a gunman without a firearm. She had to use classroom supplies to stop the gunman. In a recent article she explained how she felt helpless, and the teachers have little protection without a gun. After the Uvalde school shooting, “she felt a growing desperation” (Mervosh). Mandi “decided she needed something far more powerful: a 9 millimeter pistol” (Mervosh). Mandi decided to complete training and there has been an increase in teachers completing firearm training since Uvalde. 

Teacher’s perspective – anti-guns:

A Rhode Island teacher opposes carrying guns in school solely because there are many risks with leaving the students unattended to go after a gunman. “My biggest question, though, is during a lockdown, what should that teacher do — stay with students while others are gunned down? Leave students so they can hunt a shooter, trusting children to stay where they are?” (Woofendon – NY Times). This is a major concern for all teachers carrying firearms. How do they keep the students safe, while leaving them to attack a gunman? 

How teachers arm themselves:

If a teacher has a gun, they need to place the gun on themselves safely. Many teachers with younger students have to be mindful of the location of the gun, because younger students tend to give hugs. The gun cannot be visible and absolutely has to stay hidden. 

Overall, there are a lot of safety concerns on both sides and there seems to be no clear answer on how to protect the students the best way possible in the event of a school shooting.