POLL: Should Teachers Be Armed with Guns?

[RonR]

Jumping in late, and I've not read all the replies yet, so I apologize if this has been stated already.

Disclaimer: Wife teaches, and a lot of friends are teachers, I R a Gun Nut.

What I think should be mandatory is firearms IDENTIFICATION training for teachers.

A few yrs ago, a close friend who knows nothing about guns, was working in a school where a kid brought a gun in, and they locked down the school. The teacher had the kids duck down behind a sheetrock wall. Duh?

That would ok if it were a pellet gun, but if it were a hunting rifle or shotgun, not so good.................

My son and I made a video for Janice to watch, showing her how fast you could shoot with a semi auto pistol, a pump shot gun, and how to tell if the receivers were open or locked. We shot through a sheetrock "wall" with a .22 and a 12 gage............

I think that's a far better approach to have teachers know if they are facing a bb gun or a semi-auto rifle or shotgun....................

My two cents, good day.

ron

 

[Kendall69]

Agreed

 

[turnkey4099]

Jumping in late, and I've not read all the replies yet, so I apologize if this has been stated already.

Disclaimer: Wife teaches, and a lot of friends are teachers, I R a Gun Nut.

What I think should be mandatory is firearms IDENTIFICATION training for teachers.

A few yrs ago, a close friend who knows nothing about guns, was working in a school where a kid brought a gun in, and they locked down the school. The teacher had the kids duck down behind a sheetrock wall. Duh?

That would ok if it were a pellet gun, but if it were a hunting rifle or shotgun, not so good.................

My son and I made a video for Janice to watch, showing her how fast you could shoot with a semi auto pistol, a pump shot gun, and how to tell if the receivers were open or locked. We shot through a sheetrock "wall" with a .22 and a 12 gage............

I think that's a far better approach to have teachers know if they are facing a bb gun or a semi-auto rifle or shotgun....................

My two cents, good day.

ron

So you would have them running around the halls looking for a safer spot?

The proper reaction to a perceived gun is lockdown in a school. Don't take time to evaluate 'what kind of gun is it?" In LE the type of gun used as a threat (any gun in a school is a threat) is unimportant. When it comes to the trial, no-one cares what the gun 'was', only that it was percieved as 'gun'. A BB gun or even a starter pistol used in a bank robbery carries the 'weapons enhancement" jusst as if it were an AK47

Harry K

 

[MossRoad]

Moss, you omitted consideration of this part:

it would then be up to each state to determine how they want to qualify school employees for the exemption that allows them to carry and what other restrictions they might need to submit to to get this status.
​

Now that part was not highlighted in blue, but was clearly added. Yes, here in Indiana where you and I live, CCW permits are easy to get. That does not mean that the state would simply say get a CCW and we will exempt you from the "gun free school zone" law.

O.K. I only saw the blue part. And I cringe at Indiana's permit process.

 

[Tom_H]

As far as people who've had background checks cracking, remember that female astronaut who went "fatal attraction" to another one and drove from Houston to Canaveral in a diaper to try to "get" the competitor? Scarey.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

As far as people who've had background checks cracking, remember that female astronaut who went "fatal attraction" to another one and drove from Houston to Canaveral in a diaper to try to "get" the competitor? Scarey.

Absolutely.

But then, based on the Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, Columbine, etc shootings where a gunman or two open fire on unarmed people, what is your solution? Do you suggest that we arm every school with armed security? We could attempt to disarm the public, not sure that could happen without door to door searches, but it could be proposed. The TV station proposed "arming teachers" but I'd still suggest it was over simplified and perhaps some middle ground might exist.

Fact of the matter is that other than allowing some school faculty members to be armed, the only other solution might be to have armed guards in our schools, and the bigger the school the more guards there would need to be. Other suggestions?

• In the Texas sniper case, at the time of the shootings, Texas did not have a concealed carry law, so that assured that nobody was armed.
• In the case of Columbine, Colorado has a 'school zone' law that forbids guns in the schools (but allows them to be left in the cars in the parking lot), again, assuring that nobody was armed.
• In the case of Virgina Tech, the state also has a 'school zone' law, it prohibits guns within the school zone (including cars, residences, etc).

* The above information came from the Brady Campaign, not the NRA, GOA, etc.
​

 

[RoyJackson]

"We could attempt to disarm the public, not sure that could happen without door to door searches, but it could be proposed."

The 2nd Amendment describes a right that has been substantiated by almost 300 years of private and individual firearms ownership.
You would really want to propose a government destruction of that right? I'm not ready for a totalitarian dictatorship, are you? Wait about 10 years or so...I'll probably be dead by then.

Maybe you should re-think that, Bob...

Anyway, as a response to a question on another forum (about the possibility of a gun ban), my response was that tons of contraband are brought in to this country daily. Guns would just be another market to feed, as the drug market is today.
Bad Guys would get a firearm no matter what (happens in England all the time). A person who really wants a gun will get a gun, regardless of any law, regardless of their sanity.
All your proposal would do would result in is less freedom in this country...not a good idea.

I really do believe that folks who are against the arming of teachers who are willing and able...WILLING and ABLE...to take on the responsibility either have a fear or irrational dislike of firearms. Most have probably never handled or fired a firearm would be my guess. Fear of an inanimate object...well, no reason for it. Fear of the intent to do evil with that object is reasonable...

I'm not trying to be insulting or hurt anyone's feelings. But thinking not allowing people to defend themselves is a realistic solution just doesn't understand the problem.

Again, no flames directed toward anyone...

 

[Soundguy]

At least jumping behind a sheetrock wall provides cover for 'targeting'.. IE.. the less aspect you present as a target.. the better your 'chances' are. If you ar ethe only target.. then no.. a sheetrock wall won't doo much unless the shooter is using GSS's etc.. and then it's still iffy.

As for id'ing the weapon.. that takes a bit of time to positively ID a weapon.. maybee more than the situation allows. Also.. not all firearms shoot from a closed bolt.. I own a firearm that shoots fom an open bolt.. etc..

Soundguy

Jumping in late, and I've not read all the replies yet, so I apologize if this has been stated already.

Disclaimer: Wife teaches, and a lot of friends are teachers, I R a Gun Nut.

What I think should be mandatory is firearms IDENTIFICATION training for teachers.

A few yrs ago, a close friend who knows nothing about guns, was working in a school where a kid brought a gun in, and they locked down the school. The teacher had the kids duck down behind a sheetrock wall. Duh?

That would ok if it were a pellet gun, but if it were a hunting rifle or shotgun, not so good.................

My son and I made a video for Janice to watch, showing her how fast you could shoot with a semi auto pistol, a pump shot gun, and how to tell if the receivers were open or locked. We shot through a sheetrock "wall" with a .22 and a 12 gage............

I think that's a far better approach to have teachers know if they are facing a bb gun or a semi-auto rifle or shotgun....................

My two cents, good day.

ron

 

[RoyJackson]

Disclaimer: Wife teaches, and a lot of friends are teachers, I R a Gun Nut.

What I think should be mandatory is firearms IDENTIFICATION training for teachers.

A few yrs ago, a close friend who knows nothing about guns, was working in a school where a kid brought a gun in, and they locked down the school. The teacher had the kids duck down behind a sheetrock wall. Duh?

That would ok if it were a pellet gun, but if it were a hunting rifle or shotgun, not so good.................

My son and I made a video for Janice to watch, showing her how fast you could shoot with a semi auto pistol, a pump shot gun, and how to tell if the receivers were open or locked. We shot through a sheetrock "wall" with a .22 and a 12 gage............

I think that's a far better approach to have teachers know if they are facing a bb gun or a semi-auto rifle or shotgun....................


ron

OK, what do you expect them to do when they identify the gun?

"a bb gun"

"You'll shoot your eye out with that thing..."
A Christmas Story (1983)

 

[MossRoad]

...Fact of the matter is that other than allowing some school faculty members to be armed, the only other solution might be to have armed guards in our schools, and the bigger the school the more guards there would need to be. Other suggestions?...

I was reading something regarding some man that buried dynamite under a school and blew it up in retailiation for his beef with high taxes. He also blew up a couple of other things. Do a search for Bath, Michigan Dynamite & school and you'll find plenty to read. This happened in 1927. Massacres by one individual against many has been going on since the dawn of man and will continue, guns or not. How are we, as a society, going to protect everyone from everyone else? It cannot be done. Yes, I believe that if someone would have had a gun in these recent shooting massacres, fewer people probably would have died. And yes, I find it strange that the state will issue us a permit to carry a concealed weapon in public, but then tells us we can't carry it in certain public buildings like schools. But no matter how many guns you put in honest people's hands, no matter how many metal detectors you put at public building entrances and no matter how many bomb sniffing dogs you put on the streets, some nut job will always find a different way to do harm. Should we lay down in defeat? Of course not. But these are the doings of mentally ill people bent on revenge. And unless we as a society can come up with a way of identifying people that are having issues and intervene before they escalate to violence, we will see this type of thing recur for eternity. And, since there are more and more people with less and less access to mental health care, we will see more and more of it. If you see someone acting strangely, or something in your gut tells you someone just isn't "right", report them to the police. If enough people report on one indivdual, the chances are better that the person will get help before it is too late.

I think I've said my peace on this subject and will read from the sidelines. Things are starting to repeat. From the general comments here, most of you seem like good, concerned folks that are frustrated with the lack of control we have over a situation and are looking for answers to prevent horrible tragedies like this from happening. I applaud you all and share your frustration. It is my opinion that whether everyone is armed or not will not prevent these things from happening. It may lessen the loss of life, though. Let's hope so.