Should Teachers Be Allowed to Pack a Gun?

Originally posted by Ulrich Wolff I'm 17 years old, I've played every kind of gory video game, and watched all the gory movies. First time I gutted a animal I vomited. Desensitized?

I'm 17 years old, I've played every kind of gory video game, and watched all the gory movies. First time I gutted a animal I vomited. Desensitized?

Seems that our larger issue in general is just another reactionary measure that tries to tackle societal problems. Today guns are more common among youth then they were in my day. Why? Not sure but just the same, parents were as protective then as they are now too. Just not as nuts about the whole thing. The diff? Back then we were not blasted by violence 24/7. Reason? Cable tv wasn't around. Less of a chance to become neurotic if your bad news is taken in manageable quantities from the mornings and between 5:00 pm-7:30pm, with an occasional erruption at 11:00 at night. Now we have the boogeyman squirted onto our screens by the likes of CNN, MSNBC, FOX, BBC, Local News, and they all like to scatter our brains with running tape of nonsense too. Highlights of the day's mischief broadcasted to anxiety provoking levels. TERROR ALERT. "Oh my, Martha. It's another terror alert. Quick go hide the fruit because I think this one is ORANGE". We are bombarded with even more NEWS ALERTs! The blood in Nichol's car was from...OJ! NEWS ALERT - "Osama farted. Did you smell that?" If this doesn't get you all riled up then we always have those judgemental leaders who won't hesitate to call you a coward the minute you fail to show hatred or fear of the enemy. Not them themselves. Just the enemy. Black or White. But never Grey!  

Edited by Seko - 02-Oct-2007 at 01:18

Originally posted by red clay What I am finding interesting is everyone seems to be focusing on the students as the source for the requests for carrying guns.  If you re read the article you'll find it's more concern for protecting the students.  The day before this article there was an incident at a school about a mile from the one I teach at.  An adult male in a ski mask fired several shots at the school.  Fortunately no one was injured.  This was the topic of the day the next day in our staff lunchroom.  I know I'm not thrilled with the idea. Last year our school had a shooting incident of another type but it caused the school to tighten things up.  We now have electronic locks on our doors as well as some other precautions.  We also have gone through some intensive training in crisis intervention and prevention.  I believe that's the best and safest route, training and preparation.  Armed teachers would make a good plot for a FOX cop show, but not in a real school, in real life.

I don't think it matters what the source for the conversation is...what matters is that someone is suggesting that we take weapons into our classrooms. This suggestion puts more students at risk than someone coming into the school with a weapon. I agree with you wholeheartedly...crisis training and preparation is the best way to keep students safe. Bringing weapons to school will only put every student at risk and could also encourage them to bring weapons to school as well.

My experience of school was that teachers should be armed with a shovel and a clear set of instructions on how to use it. Manouvering certain stuff found in a cow field from a spot dubbed 'a' to another location labelled 'b'. In my experience many teachers would struggle to carry out this function.

Edited by Paul - 30-Sep-2007 at 03:11

NO!! A gun could be taken and used against the original carrier. Sheriff's Deputies here in the US do not carry their side-arm into the court room during trial for the same reason. It would create more problems than it would solve. 

Originally posted by Seko Good question Mortaza. Many US cities underpay their Police and teachers. Then you don't have enough police patroling hot spots. Failed economy and local politics is the hinderance.   Even more devious, those underpaid police officers are susceptible to breaking the law and covering their violations from the public. Corruption is this issue. ....

Good question Mortaza. Many US cities underpay their Police and teachers. Then you don't have enough police patroling hot spots. Failed economy and local politics is the hinderance.

Originally posted by JanusRook If you want to keep students and teachers safe, put security at the doors with metal detectors. You do understand there are major problems to this proposal first off schools that have done this have basically turned schools into prisons, and the time spent in line waiting to walk inside can get tedious depending on the class size (every wait to go through security at an airport). Also who's going to pay for the security and metal detectors? Public funds for schools are all ready quite thin thanks to parent's "not my job" mentality towards public education. I guess that means EVERY music and art department gets cut, as well as most other after school programs, just to "feel safe" when in reality these situations are quite rare. Anyway, it's stories like this that make me more and more adamant towards home schooling my children.

If teachers have guns its only a matter of time before a student steals a teachers gun, and well, you guess is as good as mine.