entered an elementary school in Decatur, Ga, on Aug. 20 and fired off a few rounds but surrendered before anyone was injured” (Toppo, 2013, para.2). Save this story for later. And a Gallup poll found less than 30 percent of teachers think that arming teachers would be very or somewhat effective in limiting the number of victims in a school shooting. THIS WEEK, NEWS BROKE THAT U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION BETSY DEVOS IS CONSIDERING WHETHER TO LET SCHOOL DISTRICTS USE FEDERAL MONEY TO BUY GUNS. And it’s — it only works where you have people very adept at using firearms, of which you have many. Also a child could be curious and see the gun. Here's How to Support Your Grieving Students. The presence of guns should be hidden from all students. Teachers with guns may not be accepted across the country. Arming staff could get expensive. Tue., February 23, 2021, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET. The debate over arming teachers is different because no student would know which teachers are armed, and thus no potential shooter would know which areas of the school to avoid – or know which armed officers to target first. Teachers Should Be Allowed To Carry Guns In Schools 714 Words | 3 Pages. Many things could go wrong, experts say—a student could find or steal a teacher’s firearm, the weapon could accidentally discharge, or a teacher could shoot an innocent bystander during an active-shooter situation. Arming teachers provides immediate protection while longer term policy debates continue - such as mental health support and gun policies. Under federal law, schools are designated gun-free school zones unless there’s an exception created by state law. The Debate, Explained, National Association of State Boards of Education, trained, volunteer teachers should have access to guns. However, both the supportive and opposing parties have good grounds that can be used to choose. Some arguments in favor of arming teachers include that if teachers had guns, they would actually be able to defend against an attack — potentially minimizing deaths. BUT PUTTING GUNS … “We are caregivers. Among educators, the idea is even less popular, according to recent surveys: Education Week has spoken to many educators who think carrying a concealed weapon is a bad idea, including school shooting survivors themselves. An issue in the media is whether or not teachers should carry guns in schools. Teachers should not be allowed to carry guns! President Trump met with governors at the White House to discuss gun policy and school safety. 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Teachers should be allowed to carry guns at school in order to protect students. Jeffrey Woofter, a former sheriff and the superintendent of West Virginia’s Barbour County school district, does not think that all school personnel should be armed either. Should Teachers Carry Guns? The idea of arming teachers—or loosening state restrictions to allow concealed-carry permit holders to bring guns into schools—is often circulated after school attacks. Should Teachers Be Allowed To Carry Guns. ... I’m sure every educator out there would say that we want school safety, but arming teachers is not the answer.”. Should Teachers Carry Guns? Second grade teacher Abbey Clements was hunkered down with her students at Sandy Hook Elementary School as the country’s deadliest K-12 school shooting was taking place. Debate: Should Teachers Carry Guns? And the idea of diverting already stretched resources to these and other costs such as firearms training could be a very tough sell. If children see the gun they could be come frightened. Teachers are under enough stress with meeting benchmarks without adding firearms to the curriculum. For instance, kids have always been spotted with their parents and even teachers cell phones and the same is expected to happen if teachers were to possess guns. Teachers should have guns in case of emergency! In the weeks and months since the school shootings in Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe, Texas, the debate over whether teachers should be able to carry firearms in schools has received a … have long pushed for laws that allow educators to carry weapons, would be willing to carry a gun to school. Teach Plus, a national advocacy group for teacher leadership, polled 1,233 teachers and found nearly 80 percent said they strongly oppose arming teachers in school. Evie Blad, Staff Writer; Denisa R. Superville, Assistant Editor; Andrew Ujifusa, Assistant Editor; Madeline Will, Staff Writer; Stacey Decker, Deputy Managing Editor for Digital; and Kavitha Cardoza, Staff contributed to this article. “A teacher would have shot the hell out of him before he knew what happened,” Trump said, referring to the former student who is accused of the slayings. Now, gun-rights advocates in a growing number of states are lobbying for such legislative changes, which would then allow educators to carry concealed weapons in classrooms. The measure is part of a controversial bill that Gov. At a speech just after the Parkland shooting, he argued that armed teachers with training and experience who “love their students” might be better able to protect them in an active shooting scenario than an armed police officer. He has a concealed-carry permit and would be willing to carry a gun to school. By Amy Davidson Sorki n. December 21, 2012. The debate of whether or not teachers should be allowed to carry guns in school is very heated and continues to dilemma the minds of many. There are many things we ask of teachers … After the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, parents, teachers and administrators have started questioning whether schools remain safe anymore. Teachers around the country have organized to oppose similar bills, which lawmakers introduce perennially to address public concerns about school safety. No! “I do think it’s reasonable for someone like me, but if you look at the landscape of American educators at large, I don’t think it’s realistic,” he said. In addition to Texas, the states of Utah, Wyoming, and South Dakota allow staff members—with certain caveats—to carry guns on school grounds. (National Conference of State Legislatures) It’s called concealed carry. This content is provided by our sponsor. “We’re not trained sharp shooters, we’re not trained first responders,” Clements said. The idea of arming teachers—or loosening state restrictions to allow concealed-carry permit holders to bring guns into schools—is often circulated after school attacks. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff. The Debate, Explained. DeVos herself is not opposed to arming educators. He wants to arm and train thousands of teachers to carry firearms in schools. As the leader of a federal school safety commission, she’s also been hearing from some supporters of the idea. On the federal level, firearms are prohibited in school zones … Join Peter DeWitt and his guests on A Seat at the Table as they discuss the implications of coronavirus on early-childhood learning. It … The NRA supports this controversial policy, while most groups in education oppose it, including the country’s largest teachers’ lobby, the National Education Association, and … They were the ones who asked DeVos and her staff if certain federal funds could be used by school districts to pay for firearms and firearms training for school-based staff. Teachers should not have guns in school. Supporters of such bills say they give willing educators another option to protect their students. The gun-control debate, explained in 5 questions ... Umpqua Community College allowed anyone with a conceal-and-carry permit to bring their guns inside. Retired Montana Principal John Moffatt says arming teachers and school staff is not the right way to respond to the threat of school shootings. A high-quality, name-brand, semi-automatic pistol or other type of handgun could run anywhere from $500 to $1,200. A 2015 CBS News/New York Times poll found that 57 percent of all respondents opposed allowing teachers and staff to carry guns in schools, though the idea was more popular among Republicans. Look at Florida and how many school shootings they are having. Some states are more prone to an agreeable population than others. Many teachers, school administration, and students can argue that guns will, in fact, save many lives. Jim Moffatt, a retired principal who was shot by a student at Fergus High School in Lewistown, Mont., in 1986, actively campaigns against legislative efforts to arm teachers: While their numbers may be smaller than those who oppose carrying guns, there are teachers, principals, and superintendents who favor it. Mon., February 22, 2021, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. It gained attention after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in 2012 and was revived in the wake of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.Recently, the sheriff leading a Florida commission investigating the Parkland massacre said he believed trained, volunteer teachers should have access to guns as a last line of defense in a school shooting. And earlier this fall, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made it clear that she believes districts have the flexibility to use federal funds to arm teachers. If students cant bring guns then why should teachers. There are many pros and cons when it comes to teachers carrying guns, some pros include: “I don’t represent the majority of teachers.”. Supporters often point to instances where armed bystanders have stopped shootings in other places. THE IDEA OF ARMING TEACHERS—OR LOOSENING STATE RESTRICTIONS TO ALLOW CONCEALED-CARRY PERMIT HOLDERS TO BRING GUNS INTO SCHOOLS—IS OFTEN CIRCULATED AFTER SCHOOL ATTACKS. If you’re in a rural area with a long response time, it makes sense to me that somebody out to be armed. There are already shortages of teachers in some areas. Brittany R. Collins digs into the science. Works Cited: Staff, EducationWeek. The teachers who agree to be armed — and the district does not disclose who they are — must undergo extensive training and possess a concealed-carry permit. Save this story for later. Bormann is comfortable around guns, having hunted in high school, but earlier this week he took to Facebook and to his blog to voice his opposition to the latest argument to emerge from the Newtown, Conn. shooting: that teachers should carry weapons in schools. As administrators plan for 2021, it is critical to build a long-term technology solution through high-performance devices and digital tools. Brian Teucke, an 8th grade civics and economics teacher in Hampton Roads, Va., said having a military background makes him “somewhat of an aberration” among his colleagues. Many teachers believe that arming themselves—and their peers—would make schools less safe. In states like Georgia, the push to empower the youth vote comes to fruition at a time when “every vote counts” is more than just a slogan. And education officials in Texas, where some educators are already packing heat at school, are in favor of it. With so many massacres happening around the world and in schools especially, there is a large debate upon whether teachers should carry guns or not. His students, he said, have told him they would appreciate that extra level of security. Let’s examine the evidence for the efficacy of such an idea. Even police officers can’t always shoot accurately.. More guns mean more gun deaths.. Teachers should not carry guns in school. The idea of arming teachers—or loosening state restrictions to allow concealed-carry permit holders to bring guns into schools—is often circulated after school attacks. New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, left, feels for airflow from a ventilation unit inside a classroom at Bronx Collaborative High School, during an August visit with Mayor Bill de Blasio, right, to review safeguards against COVID-19 in city schools. Not surprisingly, gun-rights advocates have long pushed for laws that allow educators to carry weapons. (Perhaps that’s why Texas is asking if its districts can tap into those federal dollars.). Retrieved Month Day, Year from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/should-teachers-carry-guns-the-debate-explained/2018/08. Many schools are “gun-free zones,” but the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act allows states to authorize certain individuals to carry firearms on school grounds. It’s been five years since the nation’s worst school shooting took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 children and six staff members. (CATO Institute) 19 other states already allow teachers and staff to carry guns on campus if they’ve received permission from the school authority. But others have said that there should actually be more guns in school: in the hands of teachers and staff, ready to defend the children they look after. There's Nothing Normal About the Constant Threat of Death, Invisibility to Inclusivity for LGBTQ Students, The Essential Traits of a Positive School Climate, Getting School Climate Right: A Guide for Principals, As Election 2020 Grinds On, Young Voters Stay Hooked, The Pandemic Is Raging. “But it should never be a teacher. The majority of the U.S. population doesn’t want to see teachers armed.. Teachers should not have the ability to carry weapons while on school campus. According to Everytown for Gun Safety—a gun-control advocacy group—15 states allow concealed carry of some sort in schools, and this year two dozen states considered similar policies: Among the questions schools who want to arm staff members have to answer: There’s also the thorny question of liability: Who would be responsible if something went wrong? What are the main arguments for allowing teachers to carry guns at school? Recently, the sheriff leading a Florida commission investigating the Parkland massacre said he believed trained, volunteer teachers should have access to guns as a last line of defense in a school shooting. Should Teachers Carry Guns? Here’s what you need to know about the divisive issue: President Trump, for one. Teachers should be able to carry a gun in school in order to help protect their students against an armed intruder. “To even consider teachers having guns in a classroom, you might think it’s a great idea but kids are traumatized by thinking that teachers have guns. All the major teacher, principal, school employee, and school security organizations oppose guns in schools, except when carried by a police or security officer. “I think we should have more security at school, but I don’t want our school to feel like a prison,” said Adeena Teres, a science teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the owner of a concealed-carry permit. The only way to ensure a massacre of this size won’t happen again is to arm teachers. ET. Ron DeSantis signed in May. But putting guns in the hands of school staff is often met with resistance from educators, who say they don’t want the responsibility of carrying and securing a firearm on top of their already demanding jobs. In the handbook at my school it says that you cant bring any type of gun including a fake one. What do students who have experienced a loss need in the classroom? As of October 1, some Florida teachers can carry firearms on campus. A classroom is a charged place. But the Connecticut killings did lead many school districts across the country to ramp up security measures, including lockdown drills, hiring police officers and installing cameras and metal detectors. “Schools are just sitting ducks because people know that you are not permitted to carry in schools, and that just makes them vulnerable,” Woofter said. In the wake of the Florida school shooting, the debate over whether teachers should carry guns in class has intensified. At her Senate confirmation hearing in 2017, she suggested teachers may need guns to ward off “potential” grizzly bears. When teachers are not given a choice, they may resign from their jobs. Young people celebrate the presidential election results in Atlanta. The massacre did not, as some had hoped, become a transformative moment and lead to widespread policies restricting gun access. Read more at http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/03/01/educators-join-new-fight-to-block-guns.html. As the bizarre becomes ordinary, don't forget what's at stake for America's teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, writes Justin Minkel. Should Teachers Carry Guns? Teachers with permits should be allowed to carry guns like other citizens with permits. this speech, I will talk to you about how allowing teachers to carry concealed weapons will be a good idea. The second objection is more equivocal: People will often say, “We should be working to keep guns out of the hands of homicidal maniacs instead of allowing teachers to carry guns.” “Should Teachers Carry Guns? These are just a few of many poignant insights about the absurdity of arming teachers that have emerged since the massacre that killed 17 people on Valentine’s Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in … But he believes that trained staff should be allowed to carry concealed weapons or have access to concealed weapons on campus. The Debate, Explained. “School District in Schuylkill County Becomes First in Pa. to Allow Armed Teachers.” Wolfman-Arent, Avi. The idea of arming teachers—or loosening state restrictions to allow concealed-carry permit holders to bring guns into schools—is often circulated after school attacks. The efforts have sparked considerable controversy and many organizations, including those representing teachers, are fighting such measures, saying that arming school staff will help keep kids safe. If they allow teachers to carry guns there will be some positive effects towards protecting students from shooters. He wants to see more teachers armed, making sure they are appropriately trained and have the right skills. ET, Register to watch Panorama’s Student Voice Panel on, Wed., February 24, 2021, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (2018, August 24). districts have the flexibility to use federal funds to arm teachers. Will States Allow Districts to Arm Educators Using Federal Funds? AD And to clear up some semantics, the “arming teachers” debate isn’t literally about “arming teachers.” Related ReadingWill States Allow Districts to Arm Educators Using Federal Funds?Video: School Shootings Ignite Controversial Proposals Around Arming TeachersNo, Teachers Should Not Carry Guns (Commentary)Educators Join New Fight to Block Guns in SchoolsFor the Record: Not All Educators Oppose Arming Teachers, Staff, How to Cite This ArticleEducation Week Staff. ©2021 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. who—exactly—is authorized to carry a firearm. (c) 2020 Florida School Boards Association, FSBA Federal Issues & Advocacy Conference, Education fault lines separate Florida House, Senate, DeSantis quietly telling education leaders Corcoran likely next commissioner, NSBA Federal Update: Week of February 15, 2021, MEMO: Senate President Simpson, 2021 Opening Day and Session Protocols, UPDATE: Governor Issues EO-01 DOE Testing, Accountability Discussed During Senate Committee (February 15), Interim Committee Week 4 – Bill Tracking & Committee Report, MEMO: Student Membership Counts & Federal Funds (sent by House Speaker Chris Sprowls), SCHEDULE: Interim Committee Meeting Week #4 (February 8-12, 2021). It also encourages violence. It gained attention after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in 2012 and was revived in the wake of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. After two days of impassioned debate, Florida's House of Representatives passed a controversial bill on Wednesday that would permit classroom teachers to carry guns in schools. Education Week. These differences prove that debate is still high over arming teachers. And it would be teachers and coaches — if … The National Education Association surveyed 1,000 of its members and 82 percent of respondents said they would not carry a gun to school even if they had firearms training and were allowed to do so. The Debate, Explained.” Education Week, Editorial Project in Education, 24 Aug. 2018, www.edweek.org/ew/issues/arming-teachers.html. This August 2016 photo shows a sign outside a school in Claude, Texas, which Claude ISD posts outside their schools. I will talk about the advantages of allowing teachers to carry a concealed weapon, how allowing teachers to carry concealed weapons is helping other countries, and why Gun-Free zones aren’t working.Let’s start with the … Early data on the 2020 turnout show a spike in youth voting, with Georgia, which faces a pair of senatorial runoffs, an epicenter of that trend. Most law enforcement experts argue that teachers should not carry guns. His opinion is informed by his own experience as the survivor of a 1986 school shooting at Fergus High School in Lewistown, Mont., where a student gunman shot Moffatt in the abdomen after shooting and killing a substitute teacher. Current debate aside, some schools already allow their teachers to carry guns. Work published under this byline was created by staff members of Education Week. Unless teachers are trained like police officers or soldiers, there is too much chance they will shoot or kill students in a high pressure situation. 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