Should Teachers be Armed?

You are on the right track. Prior to arming staff my district got very deep into defense training. We trained and drilled quarterly, focusing on 3 key steps: lock out, get out, take out. For the take out option we used fire extinguisher and ball bats. So, our training focused on defense, i.e. protecting the students in our classrooms. With that mindset already in place we then armed key staff and more vulnerable classrooms. Student safety always comes first. We also trained with a large contingent of local law enforcement so everyone knew everyoneā€™s role.

3 Likes

And in local news, Louisville Metro Police have pulled all of the SROs from Jefferson County Public Schools due to budget constraints (along with crossing guards in some areas) and the Jefferson County School District did not vote to renew their contracts for SROs with the Jefferson County Sheriffā€™s Office and other local police departments. The school district has itā€™s own police force which is sworn but unarmed that covers non school hours that will be called in to try to make visits to the schools.

1 Like

Teachers should not be armed, for so many reasons, they are educators also what about the children that are problematic and the teacher is armed? Things can go for bad to worse. We all have bad days from time to time, but if a teacher has one and is armed will the students feel threatened? Leave school security to the professional.

1 Like

I was very surprised to see that I was among the so few. Here in South Florida you can walk into any higher end grocery store and find off duty State Trooper or Deputies working a second job as their security. They are in uniform and in plain sight all of the time. I was thinking that this was a much better option than armed teachers.

1 Like

I totally agree. There are some simple things we can do to harden them such as locking entry doors during most of the school day and having a foyer secured by a second set of bullet resistant doors.

Add some vehicle barriers that prevent ramming those entryways with cars and you can go along way towards preventing at least most of the off campus shooters from making it inside.

Unless though as you say we harden them like bunkers there has to be an armed response deterrent on site to effectively deter most or all shooters.

Even then you still need external security during times when kids are moving in large numbers from building to building and before/after school where such volunteers could make a huge difference with an instant response should shooting start.

1 Like

Brilliant move. No chance that will end badly. :upside_down_face:

2 Likes

They are also making something like 60.00-100.00pr/hr.

1 Like

We have yet to see any of those problems in any of the schools where staff/faculty have already been armed and those programs have been growing for five years.

2 Likes

I did not realize the cost was so high.

1 Like

This is a great question. I think a lot of people that are anti-gun actually hear ā€œshould we force teachers to be armedā€. Thatā€™s like saying should we force all teachers to teach advanced calculus and physics. Some are cut out for that role and some are notā€¦and thatā€™s OK.

Hereā€™s a simple 3 step, common sense plan to eliminate any more school shootings.

  1. Remove and replace the ā€œno gun zoneā€ signs with signs that say ā€œOur Staff is armed and will return fireā€. Even if they arenā€™t (yet) that will cause most criminals to seek out a no gun zone to attack.

  2. Stop requiring teachers that are already CHL holders to disarm at school, and provide additional training for those teachers to understand how to counter the mass shooter threat.

  3. Offer training for teachers that would like to be armed. Most instructors will do this for FREE!!!

This is a very simple, common sense and inexpensive way to harden our soft target schools. The only thing that these mass murderers respect is a good guy or gal, with a gun, returning fire. They will avoid locations where that situation is likely.

NO, they wonā€™t steal the guns from the CHL holders and use them against them. If that was happening in the real world, you would see that all over the news as they try to ban guns. Thatā€™s certainly possible, but you are more likely to win the lottery than for this even to occur.

Yes - Arm teachers that want to take charge of their security, and teach children thatā€™s OK!!

3 Likes

If the teachers are competent with firearms and as mentally ready as any of us can be I would agree.

1 Like

Only if theyā€™re comfortable with a gun and not forced by a supervisor or are one of those few places in America that allows educators to carry and are responsible to the extent theyā€™re not unconsciously going to set the gun down and forget about it; or discover that the gun feels awkward when carrying it and are having second thoughts and have some sort of training and qualifications. Teachers are usually focused on education as opposed to thinking about guns. I just donā€™t think this is a very fruitful idea.

1 Like

I am a firm believer that teachers should be armed. As a matter of fact back in 1956 it was not uncommon to find Gun Safety Class being taught in Grammar School to young students. Just Google this and see what you find: ā€œ1956 gun safety in grammar school.ā€ The sad truth is, IMHO; Society has gotten so duped into believing all the lies of the extreme left wing liberals who are trying to destroy this country, that it may be too late to turn things around. Let us pray that our most awesome President Trump gets another term and we can dig our heels in deeper. If another Democrat ever gets in the white house again, we may ultimately lose this ā€œGun Controlā€ battle.

2 Likes

Whatā€™s the big difference between then and now, @SaintNicholas? IMO, itā€™s a lack of respect for self and others and a lack of accountability (my opinion). Parents need to be parents, but they cannot do it alone. - but this is a whole different conversation that we could talk about in a different thread.

How do you all feel about teaching teachers martial arts and self-defense? What about teaching martial arts and self-defense to all students?

1 Like

@45IPAC

I couldnā€™t agree more.

2 Likes

I for one would love to see the end of gun-free zones in America.

2 Likes

I agree with you 100%. It is a lack or respect, no fear, no compassion, no parenting or poor parenting. But I feel that the numero uno reason that our country and our whole society is spiraling downward into the abyss, is because of no Jesus. If a person does not have the light or the love of Jesus in them, they have nothing. When they have nothing, they will always turn to Something to fill that void. Many times that void becomes demonically influenced and the end result is Death. The devil is behind it all. Bring the church back to accountability, throw political correctness into the gutter and and stop pampering all the younger generations. Introduce them all to the Truth, the Life and the Way in Christ Jesus and maybe, just maybe, God may have mercy on our messed up nation and give us one more chance to come back to HIM. God already opened up the door by annointing and appointing Donald J. Trump to do so, and he has been doing a WONDERFUL JOB, in spite of all the DEMONIC attacks from the enemy through the whacked out extreme left wing liberals, who are trying to take GOD completely away from us and destroy this country. I am a baby boomer. I was raised by the greatest generation. I was brought up during a time when the community helped raise our children and the church was at the head of the community. THE CHURCH needs to get back up off itā€™s laurels and start being a lighthouse to the community. Hereā€™s the tricky part; try to find yourself a church like that. Fortunately, my wife and I finally haveā€¦

6 Likes

Teach them the truth? Hold them accountable? Stop giving out 5th place trophies? Torturous!

3 Likes

Look at it this way. We entrust teachers with the lives of our kids every day whether they are armed or not.

Iā€™d posit that a teacher we canā€™t trust with a firearm doesnā€™t belong in the classroom to begin with.

Iā€™m definitely fine with an extra level of screening for anyone whoā€™s carrying in schools and additional training/certification to a higher standard than the average stateā€™s concealed carry qualification but for a whole lot of reasons we should definitely do a better job of screening faculty and staff regardless.

1 Like

Other than avoiding gun free zones once youā€™ve been carrying for a while the only concern with carrying is or should be going to the bathroom under most circumstances.

The only other real consideration is keeping in mind that if you get into any sort of conflict your first duty is to prevent your weapon from ever falling into the hands of the bad guys.

Other than that carrying really should never affect where you are going, what you are doing etc.

1 Like