Question: Should school administrators and teachers be allowed to carry guns in school?
My Answer: Yes … unless you have off-duty police officers or retired military personnel (properly trained for such a civilian environment) at each school.
Missouri Senate Bill 656 would allow school districts to train faculty members to become “School Protection Officers”; teachers and administrators volunteering for this mission would have a valid Missouri concealed-carry permit and complete a Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission certification course; then, if their district decided to allow armed personnel on campus, those trained and certified would be packing.
The bill is now on Governor Nixon’s desk; last he vetoed a similar measure, and will probably do it this time, but for now is simply saying he will review it.
The Alabama governor tried to veto such a plan, but the legislature prevailed and defeated his veto. South Dakota has a program already in effect.
Obviously, gun control groups are not happy. Moms Demand Action wants Governor Nixon to reject SB656 claiming that parents would not know which teachers are carrying concealed guns. (PS, I know some moms who demand action … and they want action to protect their children not worry about which teacher is carrying.)
Look, for safety reason, there is an issue of “where” does a faculty member carry the weapon … on person or in a purse/briefcase?
Certainly, if not properly guarded, the weapon brought into school to protect children could fall into the wrong hands and be used against them.
That is a legitimate issue, but … if they are properly trained, faculty members won’t be any more careless than a police officer and the weapons would always be properly secured.
Even with proper training, officers have “lost” weapons, accidentally fired a weapon and even shot an innocent victim; each is an exception, not the rule.
I grew up in a time when many of the boys at my high school had a weapon locked in a rifle rack in the back window of their pickup. Most of us grew up around guns, and were taught safety as often as we were taught how to shoot.
If a faculty member is trained properly, they might well save lives.
After the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, there’s been increasing pressure to control guns, but just last year, in a poll of 15,000 law enforcement officers … 76% of those police officers surveyed supported faculty members carrying weapons in school … if properly trained and certified.
Why do you think so many officers support that issue?
Because they know the value of rapid response when you have a shooter in a public area … especially in an area where no one is supposed to carry a weapon.
The shooter who walks into a school … doesn’t care about the “no weapons” policy.
The shooter has a target rich environment with no opposing threat.
If you have a kid in school, you better hope, there’s someone readily available to stop that shooter.
Keep in mind, if a gunman shows up at school, work place or anywhere … and starts shooting … what’s the first response?
Call for someone with a gun.
It is as simple as that.
End of debate.