School shootings always spark a conversation about armed teachers in classrooms. Some believe that if teachers had guns with them in the classroom, then school shootings could be prevented, or at least the carnage could be reduced. But are armed teachers in the classroom a realistic way to eliminate or reduce the casualties of school shootings?
There are different types of gun owners and different types of Americans who strongly support the 2nd Amendment. There are the gun fanatics: those who believe that if every American, including teachers, had guns, then crime would not be a problem in America, and they will accept no restrictions on who can buy or own a gun Then there are the responsible gun owners who own guns legally, and take time to learn and practice gun safety, and are willing to accept some restrictions.
The idea of pistol-packin’ teachers in the classroom may make sense on paper, but the reality of armed teachers is not a simple solution to a big problem.
A Republican lawmaker in Idaho is pushing a bill that would allow public school teachers and staff to be armed in the classroom and on school grounds. HB 415 is backed by the NRA, and State Rep. Edward Hill says, “You have to answer violence with violence.” You can’t sit back and passively hope it’s going to be OK. This allows people to step up and defend.”
It should be no surprise that the bill allowing teachers to be armed in the classroom was introduced in the bright red state of Idaho. Idaho is a state that puts out the welcome mat for right-wing extremists and is known as a haven for fringe white supremacy groups.
The bill would allow teachers to have immediate control of their guns, meaning that they would be carrying concealed weapons. The bill requires that teachers and staff be 21 or older and must complete a firearm safety course and a background check. Furthermore, HB 415 would protect teachers and staffers from civil lawsuits that might result from their use, or failure to use, their concealed weapon. School districts with armed teachers would no longer be allowed to promote their school as a “gun-free zone.”
The argument for arming teachers in the classroom fits the agenda of those gun fanatics who believe that guns are the answer. It’s ironic that the same group will passionately argue that guns are not the problem, but then argue that guns are the solution.
The idea that we should be arming teachers to prevent school shootings is flawed. In an ideal world, a shooter enters a classroom and an armed teacher pulls out a gun and takes out the shooter before a shot is fired. But we all know that we do not live in an ideal world. There are countless scenarios where tragedy could be the end result of having armed teachers in the classroom.
In the past 2 weeks there have been stories in the news about people being injured when the guns they had concealed went off. A gun present in the classroom might offer a deranged student with the intent to harm others the opportunity to obtain a gun from a teacher. Under the bill being pushed in Idaho, teachers and staffers would have to complete a safety course, but how detailed is the course and is there protocol for teachers to take refresher gun safety courses?
When you think about the number of students in the classroom and a teacher shooting at a shooter, you can’t help but think about the possibility that innocent students are shot.
The number of school shootings in the past 5 years leaves us all with a feeling of helplessness. We feel obligated, as a society, to come up with solutions to prevent school shootings, but there should be better solutions than arming teachers in the classroom. The scorched-Earth approach to arming everyone, including teachers in the classroom, is not the answer.
Teachers should be focused on teaching our children and not be concerned with being the first line of defense in a school shooting.