Guns in schools
If teachers or a select few administration had concealed weapons would school shooting fatalities be lessened?
Would there be less school shootings if teachers carried guns?
Would teachers having concealed weapons help end school violence? Parents and students expect to be safe when they are on school grounds. Teachers are there to teach and protect the students in that school, but when a shooter comes into the school and starts shooting how are teachers supposed to keep the kids out of danger? A shooter would be less likely to go into a school with a gun knowing that he could easily be shot back. In the incident of a shooting the average response time for police is ten minutes. In ten minutes a shooter could have easily killed many students and teachers. Although if teachers or administration had guns they could defend themselves and others much better. Now you are probably thinking, “How in the world are we going to get teachers to carry guns in schools?” Well, in Kentucky lawmakers are contemplating legislation that would allow teachers to carry guns after completing safety training (NBC News). Students would feel safer and teachers would as well. The chances of a shooter killing multiple students and teachers would be far less if anyone in the school could defend themselves. With training and safety precautions, teachers carrying guns would be a good idea that all schools should think about. Where are the schools that already allow teachers to carry weapons? In Texas there is a school that allows teachers to carry guns. “To carry a gun, school employees must be certified to carry a concealed handgun in Texas, use ammunition designed to reduce the risk of bullets ricocheting, undergo crisis training and receive permission from school officials (Elsworth A12).” Arming teachers and school staff with guns would take on significant responsibility and potential liabilities that I firmly believe are beyond the expertise, said Kenneth S. Trump in the article Arming Teachers and school staff with guns. “NBC News reviewed the firearms and education laws in all 50 states and found that eighteen of them allow adults to have a loaded gun on school grounds, usually as long as they have written permission,” said M Alex Johnson on NBC News.
Would teachers having concealed weapons help end school violence? Parents and students expect to be safe when they are on school grounds. Teachers are there to teach and protect the students in that school, but when a shooter comes into the school and starts shooting how are teachers supposed to keep the kids out of danger? A shooter would be less likely to go into a school with a gun knowing that he could easily be shot back. In the incident of a shooting the average response time for police is ten minutes. In ten minutes a shooter could have easily killed many students and teachers. Although if teachers or administration had guns they could defend themselves and others much better. Now you are probably thinking, “How in the world are we going to get teachers to carry guns in schools?” Well, in Kentucky lawmakers are contemplating legislation that would allow teachers to carry guns after completing safety training (NBC News). Students would feel safer and teachers would as well. The chances of a shooter killing multiple students and teachers would be far less if anyone in the school could defend themselves. With training and safety precautions, teachers carrying guns would be a good idea that all schools should think about. Where are the schools that already allow teachers to carry weapons? In Texas there is a school that allows teachers to carry guns. “To carry a gun, school employees must be certified to carry a concealed handgun in Texas, use ammunition designed to reduce the risk of bullets ricocheting, undergo crisis training and receive permission from school officials (Elsworth A12).” Arming teachers and school staff with guns would take on significant responsibility and potential liabilities that I firmly believe are beyond the expertise, said Kenneth S. Trump in the article Arming Teachers and school staff with guns. “NBC News reviewed the firearms and education laws in all 50 states and found that eighteen of them allow adults to have a loaded gun on school grounds, usually as long as they have written permission,” said M Alex Johnson on NBC News.
"We expect children and teachers to be safe in schools and are shocked at news of another violent incident in the classrooms and hallways."
(Mohammad & Sharon Shafii: 79)
The Chart above shows that school homicides actually have decreased from 1992 to 1999. Even though the school homicide rate has decreased the severity of deaths happening in schools are still elevated. Would gun control stop school shootings? That is the real question. The government jumps to conclusions that in order to stop crime and shootings with guns we must ban them, but nations like Russia, south Africa, and Taiwan, where illegal firearm possession if a capital offence homicide rates are 100 percent to 150 percent greater than Americas stated Don B. Kates, Jr and Gary Kleck in The Great American Gun Debate (36). Guns are also not allowed in school, but do murderers and shooters listen to the law? No way. “No gun control has ever been effective in stopping accidents, or crime for that matter (Lapierre 81).” Unless there was a way to make sure no one could bring a gun into school, school shootings are inevitable. Not allowing anyone to have guns is not a good idea because Canadian provinces have far less hand gun ownership- yet their homicide rates are almost identical to those of the USA said Don B. Kates, Jr and Gary Kleck in The Great American Gun Debate (37). The people need guns to defend themselves because even of guns become illegal murders would not listen to the law.