Guns in Schools

The National Rifle Association (NRA) suggested that a possible solution to school shootings is to allow teachers to carry weapons on school grounds for protecting themselves and others (Castillo, 2012). The idea of schoolteachers being armed and ready has received substantial media attention due to the number of fatalities and ages of the young victims at Sandy Hook. It is very unlikely that there is anyone who condones students bringing any type of weapon onto school grounds. In fact, parents and faculty actively discourage such conduct, whether it’s a rubber band gun or a Swiss Army Knife. Accordingly, if we do not want students to bring guns to school, it only makes sense that we would not want teachers to carry guns either. Teachers have the significant responsibility of educating students. Education in the classroom should not cease with academic courses, but also include teaching by example and setting standards for students to

Having gun-free zones around schools is important for the child’s safety and protection physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is quite counter-intuitive for the city and governments to allow for such a repeal. Schools strive to keep a safe learning environment and promote healthy and inviting atmospheres. Allowing individuals to carry guns in schools could increase the number of gun related accidents with involving

Imagine the notion of being defenseless against an individual holding the purpose of wreaking mass devastation on the students and faculty inside of a school. In 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut endured a tragedy that carries historical significance to the notion of shielding those inside of a classroom in a worst-case situation. When twenty-six students had their life taken away during a school massacre, the thought of permitting teachers to carry handguns during class drew more consideration than ever. The safety of the students inside of a school facility may be in jeopardy as manifested in school shootings such as the ones which transpired at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Virginia Tech, where thirty-two students and teachers lost their lives (History.com). While many feel that presenting teachers with handguns may prove harmful to safety efforts, inflicting such standards would provide instructors and students equally with enhanced protection and overall security.

Allowing teachers to carry guns will allow teachers to prevent school shootings on the grounds of preschool through college campuses. Everyone has their own opinion about teachers being able to carry guns including other teachers, parents, and government officials. Depending on what state the teacher is teaching in determines if they can carry their gun now, if they are in the process of being able to, or if their state is not passing a law to allow them to carry their gun while at school. Teachers would not stand out like police officers or security officers would while in the school which would allow for other teachers and all of the students to have normal days if schools did not have officers before. Research shows that allowing some teachers to carry guns in their school promotes school safety, protects the teachers and students, and promotes gun safety while still teaching their students.

If you recently picked up a newspaper or turned on to see the news you may have question what is happening in our schools and begin to think whether our schools are still safe places for children. Recent school shootings have set feared in many parents about their children's safety in our schools. Since last year number of school shootings by students have occurred regularly. On Tuesday February 29, 2000 in Mount Morris Township, Michigan a six-year old boy shot his classmate to death in their first grade classroom. Police reports show that the two youngsters had an argument the previous day. A single shot was fired inside the classroom at Buell Elementary School around 10 a.m. The young boy said he brought the gun to school to frighten

In the past, there have been several shootings in schools across the nation. However, the students and staffs are questioning should the concealed weapon permit carriers have firearms in their possession on college campuses. Even though concealed weapon permit carriers are protecting themselves from harm by having their firearms; still other people are raising their eyebrows. On the other hand, there are other people who think carrying concealed weapons on campuses will cause more harm and the death toll will rise. As Time. Com writer Josh Sanburn points out that “the shooting at Umpqua Community College on Oct. 1, which claimed 10 lives including the gunman, is by far the worst incident on a college campus this year” (qtd. in Sanburn). Therefore,

On April 20th, 1999, two students brought guns to Columbine High School in Colorado. They injured 20 people and killed 13, one being a teacher (Columbine High School Shootings). After this tragedy occurred, many people began to believe schools are unsafe, which lead to the idea that firearms should be allowed in school for teachers and students to use in case of an emergency. However, many oppose and believe allowing guns would lead to more chaos and tragedy that is unnecessary and can easily be prevented. Concealed carry of guns by students and teachers should not be allowed because students and teachers cannot be trusted, there are other ways to ensure safety, and students and teachers could feel unsafe in schools.

Over the past several years gun violence in schools has been led into many news stories. From the 1999 Columbine Shooting in Colorado to the Sandy Hook Massacre in Massachusetts, the death of students by armed intruders has ignited a debate among many Americans. At the root of this argument is the question: Should teachers and school staff be armed? Some argue schools would be safer if this occurs. The fact of the matter is; it would make schools a more dangerous place to be. Placing untrained individuals into a stressful school environment where their decisions have life or death consequences is a horrible idea.

Idaho Senator Jim Guthrie is discussing the pros and cons of allowing teachers and administrators to carry guns at school. A school district in north-central Idaho decided that some of the teachers and administrators should be trained and carry a gun. “I think we should give districts the maximum flexibility to make those decisions”(Journal Staff & Wire Reports). The National rifle association's believe all action to help keep children's safety should be considered. “ When a threat occurs, a quick and timely response by law enforcement professionals is what everyone hopes for, but in these when time is clearly of the essence we strongly believe that trained school personnel can also serve a vital role”( Journal Staff & Wire Reports).

Although most people have argued that gun control laws should be regulated in schools, closer examination shows that having trained/licensed faculty could prevent further shootings. All school faculty should go through an examination process where not only is their mental health checked but they are also licensed to have a gun. A lot debate that it is going to cost a great amount of money to be able to administer these licenses but with a small budget reduction for other activities the efforts can be made to make a safer environment for any student and employee. Looking back to all school shootings there was one key element missing in all of them: Protection within the school. Multiple examples from Columbine High School shooting or Sandy Brooks

Since 2013, there have been over 200 school shootings in America- an average of one a week (EverytownResearch.org). Some state Legislators are considering letting individual districts and college campus to have autonomy over the type school security that is available for the students and staff. There is a state law in Texas, called The Protection of Texas Children Act, the law essentially deputizes school officials to serve as “School Marshals” who, after obtaining proper weapons license, undergoing training and passing a mental health exam, and receive training in crisis management and hostile situation, then they can have a gun in schools (Chen). In the rural area of Harrold, Texas, in the Harrold Independent School District, in 2007, they have already made ground breaking changes, they were the first school to allow teachers and staff after following the strict set of prerequisites to carry a weapon on school property. The students in the high school say they feel much safer knowing that in a small town where there is no police station that the teachers are going to protect them if the situation should arrive (Chen). Since this first school many others across the country have also made changes to allow their staff to be armed.

Part of the reason why teachers should have guns is what causes school shootings. What is the cause school shootings? Who is to blame? Is it the broken homes, the lack of god or, the fact that there is to many guns? “Should we blame the government or blame society or should we blame the images on TV?” The thing to blame is fear. Everyday America lives in fear of each other and everything. They fear each other because of their skin, religion and where they live. A foot ball player from Missouris said “I mean, people were looking at us like we were aliens.” They were looking at him because they

My initial reaction after reading the article, Teachers With Guns by Wade Livingston, struck me furious. I recall thinking out loud and trying to explain to myself the reason as to why schools, which I had always thought to be one of the safest places throughout my childhood, had become projecting danger zones throughout our nation. Schools are supposed to be a place where a child can go and learn and not have to worry about being put into danger. I am not in anyway blind to the dangers of today’s society and with the amount of school shootings on the rise; I am in agreement with the argument that something has to be done. However my early response was that arming teachers was NOT the way to protect the campuses.

In 2015, a school shooting in Franklin, North Carolina occurred. At South Macon Elementary School, two suspects, Adam Conley and Kathryn Jeter, had told the sheriff and other investigators, “it was God’s will to shoot children and teachers”. Unfortunately, the sheriff had found the stray cat that all the students loved, dead from a gunshot wound. One of the suspects had told the sheriff, “the cat was defective”. Thankfully, no other injuries were sustained during the shooting. Attacks like this happen an average of every week throughout the United States. However, by arming teachers and having guns used for protection in schools, these occurrences would be fewer. It is less likely to happen, if the attacker knows someone on the other side is ready to fire back.

Events like the school shootings in Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University have brought some fear into the Students for Gun Free Schools. Recent controversy on Concealed Carry within school grounds has some students feeling safe while others feel like they're stepping into a war zone waiting to erupt. Discomfort, increased risks, and flawed background checks- all these problems have led me to side against Concealed Carry, because without guns, we would be safer.