Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, says it's fine for teachers to bring concealed handguns to school, the AP reports. His justification: in the case of a school shooting, it might save lives. Texas isn't the only state struggling with the question of whether or not to let teachers bring guns to school.
Oregon, Nevada, Utah and other states have wrestled with the question of whether arming teachers would pose a risk to students or increase the likelihood that a Columbine-style shooter could be stopped more quickly, saving lives.
More guns in schools just seems like a bad idea, no matter who's carrying them. And it's not like only the great, noble law-enforcing teachers will get them; imagine the craziest, twitchiest teachers you ever had; they could have them too. What do you think about teachers carrying guns to school?
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Texas Gov Okays Gun-Toting Teachers
Posted Aug 19th 2008 3:24PM by Ada Calhoun
Filed under: Bizarre, Education
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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 4)
1. Well, they already have armed police in our gradeschools, so armed teachers are the logical next step.
Bob at 3:54PM on Aug 19th 2008
2. IF they can be certified to carry a concieled weapon, why not.
I think maybe a school shooter getting stopped before he kills the entire student body is a good thing.
But, yes, it is scary imagining some of the wackier teachers with a handgun locked and loaded.....almost as scary as imagining my son trapped in a school shooting situation with absolutely no help.
mac at 4:47PM on Aug 19th 2008
3. imagine the craziest, twitchiest teachers you ever had; they could have them too.
Not without proper licensing and permit screening.
Also why were those "craziest, twitchiest teachers you ever had" allowed to remain in a class room anyway.
To: Bob at 3:54PM on Aug 19th 2008
Our friend the little general is getting really frustrated. You should see his postings. Just look but do not respond. He is several levels into melt-down stage.
M2D5 at 4:57PM on Aug 19th 2008
4. should the government issue firearms vouchers?
Clif Kuplen at 5:16PM on Aug 19th 2008
5. Far better to have a weapon and NEVER need it than the need one desperately for 10 seconds and not have access to one.
charlieofthepcu at 5:17PM on Aug 19th 2008
6. I still cant think of what makes this a good idea. Check out http://detentionslip.org for some interesting commentary about this topic and other crazy headlines in education.
hall monitor at 5:29PM on Aug 19th 2008
7. Not to mention some nervous teacher; all we would need is for some nutty student to wrestle the gun away from them or struggling over it. Then what? Sheesh, only in Texas!
David S. at 5:31PM on Aug 19th 2008
8. If a student or someone else is intent on bringing a weapon to use in a school shooting, they will. Those crazy, twitchy teachers? Could already have a weapon on their person with or without legal approval.
"Gun free zones" are just words, they don't magically make guns disappear once they are brought into a gun free zone. They do, however, make law-abiding citizens not carry their legally permitted concealed weapons into the zones, while those with criminal intent will not abide by the zone's law.
Lastly, if a person is considering shooting up a school, would the threat of possibly armed teachers make him/her more or less willing to follow through?
Brian at 5:38PM on Aug 19th 2008
9. Teachers must be pulling their hair out. Just what is their job description these days? Lets put prayers back in our school, you need to keep the kids religions going, (not the "wrong" ones of course) but don't teach sex ed or safe sex, that's parents job. Carry a gun and shoot bad guys, and then make sure kids don't fail the test that gives us our funding.
If you shoot the wrong kid, you're going to jail, and if your class doesn't pass that damn test, then you're fired. But you can't separate the kids based on learning speed. Everyone must test the same, we say!! We've lost all sense of proportion. Scary. Look at any siege situation and see how difficult it is for cops and swat teams to have a good outcome, doing everything they know how and are trained to do. Any teachers here that find this not part of your Elementary Ed. curriculum?
Jude at 5:52PM on Aug 19th 2008
10. I don't agree with teachers having guns at school. What would happen if a distracted teacher doesn't notice one of his students stealing his/her gun? What if the teacher allows access to the gun intentionally (for any reason)? We have seen more cases of teachers gone crazy (to put it nice) as we have seen school shootings.
I understand how hard it is nowadays for teachers (I'm a teacher's daughter) and parents with all the shootings and bullying in schools. But is this what we want to teach our kids, that it is ok -or worse, necessary- to have guns at each classroom?
Why not enhancing education instead of making it worse than it already is? I mean, why should we teach our kids that having guns is good, instead of teaching them sports, music, arts, and VALUES? Wouldn't it be better to keep them busy with positive things that have proved to help kids stay out of trouble?
Yara at 6:36PM on Aug 19th 2008
11. I say arm everyone. Make it mandatory. Force every kid above the age of 7, and all the teachers, para-professionals, the janitors, admin, and yes even the hair netted hash slinging lunch ladies to pack heat. And while re're at it, teach them kids what they really need to know in school, and that is, the definition of double tapping a perp!
That way if someone wanted to go Columbine, he or she would no for certain that if anything, he would die in the crossfire.
Tim at 7:51PM on Aug 19th 2008
12. Wow, what a completely insane idea. I teach 9th graders, and they are constantly taking things from my desk if they are in my room when i am not. I can't even imagine what would happen if they knew teachers had guns. Way too much temptation for freshmen.
Theo at 8:04PM on Aug 19th 2008
13. You won't believe the results: Hooray! or Boo!? Texas Justice: school district allows teachers to carry guns [VOTE] - http://www.thriveorfail.com/a52d1
Kevin K at 8:03PM on Aug 19th 2008
14. Obviously the naysayers aren't familiar with the basic rules of gun safety and, especially, concealed carry. First and foremost - in order to legally purchase a firearm you have to be run through a database that the federal government maintains. That database includes any felonies, violent misdemeanors and admission to psychiatric institutions. These events disqualify you from purchasing a firearm. Receiving a concealed carry permit requires a more detailed scrutiny of your background and it also requires registration of your fingerprints in the FBI database. It also requires 8 hours of training and a live-fire qualification with the firearm. These teachers will have to go through two levels of scrutiny and they will require training before they can carry concealed in a classroom or anywhere else for that matter. This isn't just an issue about Columbine - the Virginia Tech incident is a better argument for guns on campus. The student government at VTU turned down two pieces of legislation that would have saved lives the very year that it happened. The first was having armed campus security and the second was concealed carry for faculty and staff. The natural reaction towards anything that is unfamiliar and potentially dangerous is fear. Temper your fear by eliminating your ignorance: get educated about firearms. Handle and fire one. Learn how to break it down and put it back together. Understand how it functions. Even if you have no interest in owning one it is to your advantage to know how to use one. By doing so you are exercising a right that is as essential to your American citizenship as the freedom of speech. The reality is that by railing against that right you are taking the power out of the hands of responsible, law-abiding citizens and placing it in the hands of irresponsible criminals. The most important thing to consider is this: would you prefer that your children have no one to protect them from these irresponsible criminals or would you prefer they have a fighting chance? Also, on the 'stealing things from the desk' scenario - it's poor stewardship of your firearm to leave it unattended. If you are carrying concealed it should be on your person at all times. Before you judge this Texas district as irresponsible seek education on what responsible concealed carry is.
Shaun at 8:42PM on Aug 19th 2008
15. THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THIS ARTICLE WAS SO BIASED AND NON-JOURNALISTIC, OH WAIT A MINUTE, THIS IS THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA REPORTING OFCOURCE THERE BIASED. A LITTLE UNREPORTED NEWS FOR YOU...... GUN-TOTING LAW ABIDING CITIZENS REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME IN SCHOOLS IN HOMES IN MALLS OR ANYWHERE ELSE THERE CARRIED. WHEN CRIMINALS KNOW OF AREAS THAT HAVE 2ND AMENDMENT BELIEVERS THOSE SAME CRIMINALS STAY AWAY !
t.j. at 10:21AM on Aug 20th 2008