Teachers carrying guns in schools?

Question

Just curious on the opinions of the people, A north texas school is allowing teachers to carry guns while on school grounds "to protect employees and students in the case of an armed intruder or hostage situation." Personally I believe that is completely stupid and is actually a step back.

Answer 1

I think this is the stupidest idea on earth. The whole reason this is even being suggested when security guards are the norm at our schools is because some teachers out there want the 'feeling of security' that these guns provide. I don't care what those teachers feel like. teachers who want things like that are unstable to begin with and often taking psychiatric medicine to deal with it. They are going to be tempted to use that gun anytime a student makes them uncomfortable, and if they come to school buzzed from their zoloft and screwed up from alcohol the night before that is just what they are prone to do. IT is bad enought that we are having school shooting and armed guards in our schools: we don't need a three way shootout as well.

Answer 2

Well, shedding aside my opinion that every adult should be allowed (or perhaps required) to carry firearms, that decision is useless. Contrary to what the media would have us believe, situations with gunfire in schools are extremely rare.

However, if they feel otherwise the decision needs three companions: a requirement for teachers who DO carry guns to carry a visible badge/card/whatever attesting that they have a firearm, a requirement for teachers who do not renounce this right to practice 3+ times a week at a shooting range, as well as practice proper firearm handling and maintenance (or accidents will happen) and a lot of mandatory psychological counseling should be enforced to prevent the teachers from going on murderous rampages of their own.

Answer 3

It;s a step in the right direction.Creation of 'gun free zones', or banning guns in a location, State or municipality, just results in the armed criminal

having an assured advantage.

It might be counter-intuitive, but the results of 'gun bans' vs

'right to carry' laws have proved it time and again, in place after place.

You can 'personally believe' whatever you want. It doesn't make it true.

Answer 4

They are only allowing teachers and staff to carry if they have a valid carry permit from the state of Texas and if they complete additional trainings in crisis management and use ammunition that minimizes the potential of ricochet. The firearm would never be off of their person, meaning it will always be on their hip in a holster, not in their purse or desk drawer like I heard some anti-gun nut on TV mention. The school is (I believe) approximately 30 minutes away from the local law enforcement office and the school is right off of a major highway that sees heavy traffic. Due to the misguided idea of "gun-free zones," this school could be a prime target for a madman. I fully support this idea and wish the schools here in Tennessee would follow suit. Statistical evidence has shown that the crime rate is lower in areas that have the highest number of law-abiding citizens who can carry firearms.

When seconds count, the cops are only minutes away.

Answer 5

Yep. Ya buy a gun....wanna try it out......

"Hey, teach......is that gun loaded?".......

Gym coaches with loaded guns......"Ready...Set....BANG!!!"

If teachers and principals carry loaded guns, why not the school nurse or a substitute teacher also??

Soon enough Columbine will seem like a day-care incident.

GUNS DON'T KILL....PEOPLE KILL....

Answer 6

I agree with you.  Armed intruders and hostage situations are such a remote possibility as to make the step of allowing teachers to arm themselves the equivalent of swatting flies with a sledgehammer: they are far more likely to hurt themselves or an innocent person than they are an armed intruder or end a hostage situation.  I think more harm than good will come of this.

Answer 7

This is one of my worst nightmares coming true and if I had a child in this school district, he/she wouldn't be there on the first day of school, but would be starting someplace else!

Instead of spending people's hard-earned money focusing upon less violent, preventative measures such as installing metal detectors and posting guards with less lethal weapons by this Texas school's entrances and exits, what do they do instead? they choose to spend it upon the more violent path which is to train and arm teachers and staff, thus creating an environment of danger beyond comprehension in a school setting!

Suppose a teacher loses his/her temper and pulls out a gun in the heat of anger? Suppose a student manages to steal a teacher's gun from wherever it is? Suppose a teacher leaves the gun unattended? Suppose the ammunition that is used isn't the one that will be required and DOES richochet off the walls and kills an innocent student?

I don't even want to continue with the number of disquieting scenerios, so I will leave this where it is.

Something frightening is occurring in our society and I am disheartened, shocked and disappointed in those who allowed this law to be put into effect.

Answer 8

If you're worried that the average teacher is going to shoot Little Johnny for not doing his homework, I'd say your school district has bigger problems than the obvious. A gun is a simple tool, and it does nothing unless the person carrying it puts it to use. Saying it's a step back because of some potential harm would be more appropriate if used on something more dangerous, like a set of car keys. It's really a non-issue, except that on the rare occasion when you need a handgun, you need it very badly, and immediately. I just don't see any real downside to the allowance, though I doubt many teachers will actually carry a gun.

Answer 9

If someone wanted to bring a gun somewhere they would do it legally or not.

Its more of a mentality, "Better have it and never use it, then need it and not have it"

I think its good, they'll have to be licensed and most likely properly trained before they can bring it in.   Though I do see where it could cause a bad security if a student or group were to jump a teacher.

But that would be unlikely.