Survey Respondents' Comments--Non-owners

Comments (as written) from Respondents who don’t own guns

Shooting people is not what teachers do. Schools could never be completely secure, but the U.S. could lower gun incidents somewhat with stricter gun control. How much freedom are we willing to give up to be safer?

1/16/2013 3:40 PM 

In these times, we have to worry about gun violence when before it never crossed our minds. I wonder if adults in Ct. had been armed, would the outcome have been different.

1/14/2013 2:16 PM 

I am concerned about the presence of guns on campus unless they are in the possession of highly trained staff members. The possibility of a student obtaining a gun that is supposed to be controlled by a staff member and using it, worries me. However, I do wish that the principal or counselor at Sandy Hook had been armed and I can see that if the RIGHT person was armed in any school shooting, lives could be saved. I'm conflicted.There are staff members that I have known throughout the years that I would definitely not feel comfortable knowing they were armed. I consider myself in that group.

1/14/2013 9:59 AM

5& 6. I believe if highly trained personnel were in a building, especially secondary, such as police officers, it would be safer to have personnel with guns. However, they would need to be highly trained. Only in that situation would I feel safer. Any other situation, I would feel less safe, e.g. teachers with guns, custodians with guns, NRA volunteers with guns, would cause me to feel less safe. 9. Our building has a very weak and ineffective administrator.

1/14/2013 8:59 AM

I have been interested in this issue for decades. The most salient factor for me is that the presence of more guns vastly increases the likelihood that those guns will be used and people will be injured or die. It is poor logic to assume that staff with guns will prevent gun violence. There is too great a chance that students could find a way to access these guns or that the guns might be used impulsively or recklessly by staff with access. When a gun is present in a home, the chance that someone in the home will be injured/killed by that gun increases by 50%. A similar likelihood would exist in a school setting. We need FEWER not more guns in the environment. When gun violence has occurred in other countries, voters have acted quickly to restrict access to guns. But in the US the chance of being killed or injured by a gun is vastly greater than in countries with restrictions. Moreover, there have been 2 mass killings recently at an army base where there were numerous individuals who were armed but unable to stop the gunmen until it was too late.

1/14/2013 8:32 AM

More guns do not make anyone safer. Guns in schools is a STUPID IDEA and is only rooted in fear and ignorance.

1/14/2013 8:03 AM

The only person at my school who is qualified to carry a gun is our School Resource Officer. I would be nervous if teachers carried weapons. To me, that is giving more people access to guns. There's no guarantee those weapons would not get into the hands of the wrong person.

1/14/2013 7:46 AM

I have heard many things on this issue since Newtown and the NRA's subsequent plan of arming more "good guys" to help stop "bad guys" with guns. I have also heard them blame viloent video games and violent moives for the glorification of violence. But other countries have access to the same video games and movies; what they do not have easy access to is guns. Automobiles are heavily regulated by the government and have become safer over the last fifty years. Guns are lightly regulated by comparison and I feel a large part of the comparatively large amount of gun violence in the US is at least, in part, due to the relatively easy accessibility of guns. That said, I do not see how arming teachers is a positive step in the direction toward curbing gun violence. That is, if the problem is easy access to guns, how does having more guns around make people safer?

1/14/2013 7:10 AM

I am comfortable with my school resource officer carrying a gun. She is a trained police officer and knows what she is doing, and is trained to react with a cool and level head in a crisis situation. As for the rest of us - teachers are trained educators. We are not policemen and we should not ask (or be asked) to be them. Students and staff knowing that someone is packing heat - maybe there are a handful of incidences that will be prevented, but I think the larger effect of a climate of fear and paranoia, that is more pervasive and damaging.

1/13/2013 9:31 PM

I didn't understand # 9 aboe. The bottom line for me is thatI don't want guns of any kind in schools. People who mean to do harm with guns have the advantage of the time and place that they choose. An armed guard did not help at Columbine, and heck, a security system and locked doors did not help at Newtown. What we have to get rid of is assault weapons and large capacity ammo magazines. As former Gen. McKrystal noted, assault weapons do major damage to bodies; only soldiers and SWAT teams need to have them. As for large capacity ammo magazines, again, why do these need to be available to the general citizenry?

1/13/2013 2:02 PM

If teachers are allowed to carry guns at school, then the parents will also want to carry them and then we just have more guns all around our kids. All this situation is asking for is for more kids to be accidentally shot and killed! I am strongly opposed to this!

1/13/2013 1:24 PM

More guns lead to more gun violence. Theft, accidental discharge, innocents caught in crossfire -- this is what's likely to happen with guns in schools. My next door neighbor's house was robbed 2 days ago and 2 pistols including a 44 magnum and ammo were taken. Is he safer now because he had guns in his house? I certainly feel less safe knowing that 2 more weapons are in the hands of creeps.

1/13/2013 12:27 AM

It would be great if school districts would require an SRO in buildings. We have one that is very visible and active in our school and I know he contributes exponentially to the safety of our school by just being present.

1/13/2013 8:53 AM

I feel that having guns would make school more unsafe.

1/13/2013 8:39 AM

Fewer guns means fewer people killed or wounded by them. Period.

1/12/2013 8:21 PM

There is no way to guarantee that a loaded gun could be kept safe, and if it could there is no way anyone could get to it in time to use it to shoot an intruder. What would that do to the person then who had to shoot someone? Would they be a hero? could they continue to teach in their community. What if the intruder was a former student? This is not what teachers are trained for, we do enough to stay true to our goal without adding firearms training into the mix.

1/12/2013 8:00 PM

I am a highly qualified, effective, passionate, National Board Certified Teacher. I love my profession and it is not a job, but a calling. That said, the day that I am asked to bring a gun to school I will walk away from my passion. The instant a colleague brings a gun to school I will leave the students I care for so dearly. This is not the answer and it sickens and saddens me to think that this is even being discussed.

1/12/2013 7:20 PM

Creating laws to prohibit the possession of guns that have a magazine with multiple bullets is what needs to be done. Also, more funding of mental health care is the other area that needs enhancing to help those that need it. Our culture of promoting violence as the way to solve problems (especially for men) needs to change!

1/12/2013 10:23 AM

Ridiculous option to have guns in schools! Sounds like we are going back to the Wild West! Creating security systems and maybe pepper spray or a bat?! Bottom line-work on improving our mental health system.

1/12/2013 9:25 AM

We cannot plan for everything, but keeping students and staff must be a priority for school districst-but it must not include more guns. Put in more gates, locks, doors, less windows even moats. Do not permit guns on campuses. That tells students that the only way to prevent another Sandy Hook is to arm us all. Is that the message we want to encourage?

1/12/2013 8:46 AM

I teach children. I am unprepared nor do i desire to be prepared to kill a human being.

1/11/2013 10:34 PM

I do not think that guns in schools is the answer. What we need to do is make students feel safe in schools. We need to have stronger anti-bullying campaigns and stop the "right of passage" mentality that is so strongly ingrained in our society. No child should be bullied. It is rare that a shooter is a person who is not a student. Newtown was a completely random occurrence and most school shooters are students or ex-students. It all begins when a child bullies another child, guns in adult's hands can't stop that, education can.

1/11/2013 9:51 PM

Having guns at school increases the likelihood of accidents more than increasing the likelihood of protecting ourselves from another Newtown incident. I, for one, don't want to be responsible for keeping hundreds of children a day from being involved in an accident involving guns kept on campus.

1/11/2013 9:18 PM

Guns do not belong in schools period. No exceptions. That would not make me feel safe, but would make me uncomfortable. It's a sick idea that has nothing to do with the actual problem.

1/11/2013 8:31 PM

There is no place for guns in schools. We need to bring peace to our state, country, and world. Carrying guns is not peaceful nor a solution to the problem. We need more mental health for people with mental health issues.

1/11/2013 6:00 PM

Guns don't belong in schools. Neither do machetes, pit bulls or fireworks, all of which are legal outside of school, but are a danger to kids in schools.

1/11/2013 5:36 PM

Allowing guns to be carried in schools would increase the possibility of accidents. Schools are meant for children, and we should not bring guns into that environment. Police officers should be the people carrying guns, not community members.

1/11/2013 5:34 PM

Sad survey to have to take......

1/11/2013 5:23 PM

I feel schools should be proactive and be prepared for anything that arises by practicing frequent drills, but not always with the same routine - give senarios (ie this side of the building is on fire - can't go this way) Everyone should be looking over their shoulder. The only way to make students and staff safe at school would be to set up school like a prison - gates around, buzz in and out. I do not think most people would like to work in this manner.

1/11/2013 4:50 PM

I think the position of the NRA is NUTS! No way, no how do I ever want to see schools be anything but gun free zones.

1/11/2013 3:32 PM

I think we need to come up with a better way to make our school safe Teachers carrying guns in the schools is scary to me.

1/11/2013 2:58 PM

I worry if teachers have guns that students in higher levels would take Advantage if that, I worry that if teachers had guns and there was a shooting that police would not know who the shooter is because if all the adults with guns. Most school shootings are done by assault weapons, what is a hand gun going to do against that caliber weapon. If teachers are going after the gunman, who is watching their students?

1/11/2013 10:14 AM

This is a ludicrous suggestion! What happens the first time we have an accidental shooting because the teachers are bringing guns to school? Also does anyone really think a teacher would have the time to usher students to safety, then go and retrieve the locked-up gun, load it and engage in a gunfight- when faced with a semi- automatic/automatic weapon? Really? And lastly, at what point do teachers say "enough"? Our duties go far, far beyond providing a good education for students and now we're to go and spend our time in gun safety courses and engage in gunfights as needed? Really? This is a much societal bigger issue that will not be resolved by putting armed guards in school an/or requiring teachers to carry guns! Wake up!!!!!!!!

1/11/2013 9:23 AM

I would only be comfortable with staff members carrying guns if there were extensive precautions taken to ensure that students absolutely would not be able to have access to them. I think there would have to be extra training for those staff members, in addition to having a concealed weapons permit.

1/11/2013 9:19 AM

If guns are at schools, I worry about them falling into the wrong hands or being misused, especially in middle and high schools. Statistics show that you're much more likely to be shot if you have a gun in your house. I would think the same would be true in a school.

1/11/2013 9:04 AM

More guns = more violence

1/11/2013 8:18 AM

If teachers had guns then there would be incidences where students would attempt to take the gun from the teacher and do harm. Many times this would be a failed attempt but there would be the occasional time where the student would succeed. Increasing the amount of guns at school would increase, not decrease, the amount of gun violence in schools.

1/11/2013 8:04 AM

The caliber of school administrative employees has gradually eroded over the past three decades to the point that I would have no confidence either that most administrators could properly lead their staff and students in case of a dire emergency (whether staff armed or not), or properly regulate guns in a school in such a way that would be effective in protecting the safety of the school. The ONLY good policy re guns and schools is to ban them completely, for all staff and students. NO culture of guns is welcome in an educational environment at any level, in my opinion.

1/11/2013 7:37 AM

I think each school needs to have an armed guard/ trained officer but do not believe taxpayers would find this. As of now we are virtually defenseless against an attacker and I would feel safer if armed, especially if many of the teachers were trained and armed.

1/10/2013 9:47 PM

Guns in school is the most ridiculous idea I have ever heard!

1/10/2013 8:57 PM

since no one other than trained soldiers and police officers have the level of training required to make split second decisions regarding who and when to shoot as well as accuracy required I believe and studies show that untrained persons with guns are more likely to injure or kill someone innocent than the criminal. Therefore having anyone carry a gun where we have 100s of children raised the likelihood of an accidental shooting and does not deter nor stop an actual school shooting. Not only would I not work in such an environment I would not allow my own children to attend a school where an staff member has the ability to carry a firearm at school.

1/10/2013 8:31 PM

Would they carry gun, if it is locked in a cabinet is not of much use? School area is too large, inside and out can never be totally covered by one or two people with guns.

1/10/2013 11:28 AM

I do not think that guns at school are the answer. More weapons is never going to be effective. Also, if there were a shooting in the school, how will the police officers know if the people with guns are staff or students who are doing the shooting? It absolutely terrifies me that our state legislators are even discussing allowing teachers/staff to carry guns at school.

1/9/2013 1:49 PM

I think that as educators we know how to work with kids, not how to deal with a dangerous person with firearms. Arming staff is a bad idea. does that mean that the staff member at one end of the building would run down to handle the armed intruder at the other end of the building. It's a stupid idea, frankly.

1/9/2013 12:51 AM

Over 500 children are killed accidentally by guns each year. That outweighs the all-time total of deaths of school shootings. It is stupid to think that having guns in schools wouldn't result in more accidental killings. Also who's to say that the adults allowed to carry guns wouldn't use them nefariously? The folks who did the shootings either got the guns legally or got them from someone who did. There are plenty of teachers out there that are a little off in the mental health department. More guns does not equal less gun deaths. The places with the least gun deaths in the world are places without guns.

1/9/2013 11:49 AM

Accidents happen with guns. That is why I feel they don't belong in schools, concealed or otherwise.

1/9/2013 10:52 AM

We absolutely should not arm educators. Columbine had an armed guard and that wasn't a deterrent. There is a greater chance something would go wrong with the guns the "good guys" are carrying and cause more injury than some "bad guy" attacking the school.

1/8/2013 3:17 PM

There is enough tension and there are enough problems without adding staff members packing heat. I think it would create more problems than it would solve.

1/8/2013 12:01 AM

Guns do not belong in public schools for a number of reasons relating to personal safety, but having guns in our schools also sends a sad message to children- that we need to counter violence with more violence. I would not send my children to a school where guns were allowed for anyone.

1/8/2013 10:33 AM

Adding more guns to a school will not make me feel safer. Enacting strict gun laws, including banning assault weapons and multiple round ammunition will. And we need better mental health services for young men, who are resonsible for all of these senseless acts.

1/7/2013 7:31 PM

by adults do you mean faculty or parents and volunteers as well.

1/7/2013 2:45 PM

Whilst I strongly disagree with guns in school, I feel assured that our school leadership would create effective policies, if that scenario took place.

1/7/2013 2:14 PM

I do not believe any faculty member should be able to carry guns. I believe only specific individuals in charge of security at the school with proper gun safety training and background checks should be able to carry guns. At our school, we have a designated police officer who is often at our school which makes me feel safer.

1/7/2013 12:05 AM

Unless the guns were concealed on the adults, I think they would pose more danger. I would not want them kept in a room in a cupboard or desk drawer, for example. I would also want anyone carrying a gun to go through extensive training prior to be allowed to carry it at school.

1/7/2013 12:03 AM

There are only so many situations that anyone can plan for and because we all have different life experiences, some will think of situations or ideas that others will not. We can only plan for a "known" type of situation. We cannot "know" all that others think or plan. It isn't always the owner of the gun that is the problem, as we have seen guns are stolen, given to others, or taken away and used agains the owner. Then there is the angle that some don't know when to use or not to use a gun. Is that extreme necessary?

1/7/2013 10:36 AM

I do not think this is a good idea. Period.

1/7/2013 9:26 AM

This is not a solution! I am completely against this notion.

1/7/2013 8:55 AM

There are other measures that could be taken besides staff carrying weapons. Adults rather they are staff, teachers or admin. all have issues that we may not even know about. This is just as unsafe as the random acts that have occured.

1/7/2013 8:50 AM

We have an armed police officer in our school and that is very helpful and makes me feel more secure. We also practice drills. We have had threats and incidents. I want us to be aware and try things that will work.

1/7/2013 7:28 AM

I would be worried that a disgruntled student would be able to get a hold of the gun and cause havoc whereas when they have to find their own weapons outside of school it makes it harder for them.

1/7/2013 7:21 AM

There is no reason to have guns in schools.

1/7/2013 7:14 AM

The chances of any staff member being in the right place at the right time and in the right frame of mind to defend themselves and students if a sudden violent incident occurred somewhere in the school, is very unlikely. Staff need to focus on teaching and keeping their students safe - not hunting down criminals. I don't believe that the "gun carriers" would remain anonymous amongst the students and staff.

1/6/2013 8:04 PM

Guns at school is not safe. Students would know who has a gun. I would definitely worth that a student could access these weapons. Not a good idea.

1/6/2013 7:24 PM

We have an SRO who carries a gun. He is trained to deal with dangerous situations. I would NOT want untrained staff to have guns on campus. In general, the more guns on campus the more likelyhood of an accident or a misinterpretation of a situation. Keep schools gun free except for police or sheriffs.

1/6/2013 7:38 AM

I think it would be a big mistake. It won't make us safer and it could endanger the students as some of them are not always making good decisions and may try to get their hands on a gun.

1/5/2013 7:13 PM

Guns is not the solution; getting the help for these students with mental illness can be a start. if a gun is permitted, it should be permitted to the police officer that is assigned at the school. A full time officer should be assigned to each of our schools if not two.

1/5/2013 4:21 PM

I'm out of teaching if we need to start carrying guns.

1/5/2013 1:50 PM

I am not against personal gun ownership, but I would be terrified if I knew that there was ANYONE carrying a gun on the premises. I don't even like knowing cops on campus have guns

1/5/2013 11:01 AM

I'm not sure how confident I am with some staff members being responsible enough to keep firearms out of the hands of students, or the possibiity of being overpowered by an out-of-control student.

1/5/2013 10:24 AM

If guns were allowed in schools, then kids would automatically have access to them. Groups of students could overpower a teacher and take the gun and the school. Kids would break any barrier to get at a gun if they wanted. It seems to me that if you put a gun in the hands of a teacher, you are assuming that that teacher is proficient enough and responsible to know how to use it and when to use it. I think there are too many idiots (yes, I mean teachers) who would not react favorably in a situation where a gun was involved. Why bring in this problem as a solution to a larger societal one. Idiotic. Asinine (sp). Dangerous. Stupid. Thoughtless. What else can I say, NO!

1/5/2013 9:55 AM

Guns are guns.

1/5/2013 9:19 AM

Re question 9: I am confident that my building leadership team would create effective policies and procedures. Schools should be part of the long-term response to the issue of violence in our society. Non-violent communication and conflict resolution should be part of the curriculum beginning in early elementary and all the way through K-12.

1/5/2013 9:16 AM

Survey Respondents' Comments--Gun Owners

Comments (as written) from respondents who own guns—

I do not walk around with a loaded pistol just in case someone shows up out of the blue to shoot me. I don't carry shark repellent, either. Shooters and sharks are both deadly, but neither is very likely, so I just don't worry about it. On the other hand, if the school had a security guard with a pistol, I wouldn't really mind. I would be a little concerned about every teacher roaming the halls with a 9mm on their hip. Eventually somebody would get shot by accident, which there is not much danger of right now.

1/15/2013 11:44 PM

I would not carry a gun in the classroom (HS) because I am among students. It would be easy to have the gun taken from me or be overpowered. I would feel a whole lot safer if some of the administration or office workers were carrying a gun. The trouble is not the guns--the trouble is the heart of man. Our laws are not enforcing "with Rigor" the laws and penalties that should be dealt.

1/15/2013 12:22 AM

Guns are not the issue - people with needs are the issue, that said the knowledge that a gun is accessible at a school would make individuals have to plan different techniques.

1/15/2013 9:57 AM   

I am strongly apposed to guns in general and especially in schools. Fixing the problem with the same problem is not the answer. I hope that Washington will get past this tragedy and move in a more progressive approach.

1/15/2013 8:25 AM  

i don't think guns are good in schools period.if you needed guns in schools there is already something wrong with the system. i do think we need to ban assault weapons and large clips for all weapons. the best policy is better education for all citizens on guns and our 2nd amendment rights need to be better understood by society.when we can't controll the safety of our citizens we have a break down in its effectiviness.

1/15/2013 7:27 AM  

In addition to being a certified teacher I am also a state commissioned law enforcement officer. I am highly skilled and trained, not just in use of force, but in dealing with the aftermath of high-stress incidents. I would be very concerned if untrained teachers, without an extensive personal history investigation were armed by districts. However, many districts already have teachers who are cross-trained with military and/or law enforcement backgrounds. It is my belief that there should be an immediate change to state law allowing those who are qualified to carry a concealed pistol while in the workplace. As a LEO, I am allowed to carry everywhere in this state, with the exception of my school. Without security checkpoints, no place can be made a gun-free zone. Either we need to have security checkpoints, or armed employees. Anything less would be to foolishly wait for the unthinkable to happen.

1/14/2013 7:08 PM

no guns period in my school

1/14/2013 9:49 AM

If school staff were allowed to carry guns it should only happen after intensive training if the use of firearms. Also former military or police backgrounds should also be considered...

1/13/2013 5:57 PM

No guns in school without thorough law enforcement weapons training & qualification.

1/13/2013 12:11 AM

Only police should have guns on school grounds. A shoot out with an assailant in the type of recent horrific events with children around is not a good idea and would have a wide range of consequences, many unintentional and unforeseeable. This is essentially a combat-type of activity and requires law enforcement/military training. Besides adults carrying guns could easily be compromised by students targeting them in the natural trustfulness of a healthy school environment. Perfect safety is illusory, response is not. Leave the military-style response to those who are truly trained for it.

1/12/2013 10:26 PM

Until people understand that PEOPLE kill people, not guns, we are doomed to repeat history!

1/12/2013 7:40 PM

I ultimately think that guns should not be in schools, though I have felt rather vulnerable knowing that if something gun related were to occur, the number of casualties/injuries could be very very high. The reality that my only options are run and/or hide in that scenario scare me. I hope our government responds with more funding for counselors and other support for high risk kids (rather than focus on tightening gun control, which I don't think will have much, if any, effect).

1/12/2013 4:48 PM

I feel that if this were allowed that the adults allowed to carry the firearms would need to go through gun safety training often and need specific requirements to have the on weapon and how it would be holstered. I also think that parents should also get input on this.

1/11/2013 6:27 PM  

While I could never harm a student, incidents of persons not associated with schools trespassing on school property during school hours are on the rise. I see teachers carrying concealed weapons as a deterrent to violence by 3rd parties.

1/11/2013 5:25 PM  

Schools are targets for high profile violent acts in that we have absolutely no way to defend ourselves. Any Nutball that decides to go out in flames need only to walk into the nearest public school to kill dozens of people, with no one to stop them, and will make World News.

1/11/2013 10:19 AM

Our school is built in such a way as to nearly impossible to keep a shooter out so having a responsible adult or more with the ability to do more than make a phone call might be reassuring.

1/11/2013 8:12 AM

My husband is a law enforcement officer. He went through two years of training and testing including psychological exams in order to be an armed law enforcement officer. I am a teacher. I have a Master's in Curriculum and Instructional Design. I am not a trained law enforcement officer. Putting guns in the hands of school personel who are not trained law enforcement officers is foolish and dangerous.

1/10/2013 3:31 PM

I have no issue with certain licensed individuals bearing arms in all societal situations, including at schools.

1/10/2013 11:53 AM

I am not "for" arming teachers. However, I do have a concealed carry permit. I think that if some teachers carried guns, concealed only, the school would be safer if the school were to have a catastrophic event (school shooting, shooter, gang members). I think if this legislation were EVER passed it would be more critical than ever that the organization permitting concealed carry permit be even more vigilant in its screening.

1/9/2013 1:55 PM

Incidents in the past are likely to happen anywhere. We have had our share of unstable individuals and will continue to encounter them. Any carry weapon would be insufficient in the case of a long gun in the hands of an intruder. The fact that they may encounter opposition immediately in a school setting may deter a person from carrying out their intentions.

1/9/2013 1:53 PM

Gun Free Zones don't work.

1/8/2013 4:40 PM

MISPLACED - TAKEN - ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE -

1/8/2013 3:34 PM

I have a concealed weapons permit and go target shooting. I think fear of guns is a problem. If we had a gun safe here it would discourage someone who thought about coming here armed and dangerous

1/8/2013 8:16 AM

I am from Colorado and was teaching in Littleton when Columbine happened, so my answers may be skewed from other participants.

1/7/2013 10:08 PM

I think the current efforts to keep schools safe are all we need to keep us safe if we follow them. It's often when we become complacent is when something happens.

1/7/2013 12:14 AM

The solution to gun violence is certainly not more guns.

1/7/2013 10:47 AM

If a select team of teachers, admin, and security officers were trained in a response team style capacity, and qualified by a police force training program to carry, I think we could better protect our students from a Columbine or Sandy style massacre. The students and public would not be allowed to know which teachers were on the team, only that a team exists. This would protect them from an initial assault by a gunman or attacker. Strict rules and regulations would be in place as to when the response team would be allowed to use there firearm. In order to ensure the teams readiness, safety, and response effectiveness they would be given free range access and ammo each month to keep up on their qualifications. The "Gun Free Zone" is a welcome sign for nut-jobs and criminals.

1/6/2013 3:30 PM

I am a trained weapons exspert with 30 years of exspearnce and I don't think guns belong in a school unless it was the school I went to learn to build them. even at that school no one caried side arms.

1/5/2013 10:02 PM

I sometimes forget to lock the cabinet where I store my purse. Imagine if a school employee forgot to lock up his/her gun. Adding the possible access to guns at school scares me more than someone coming to my school with a gun.

1/5/2013 12:42 AM

On Guns on Teachers

Rep. Liz Pike from Camas has expressed her intent to offer bill that would allow teachers carry concealed weapons in the classroom.   In general, such a law is a bad idea because it's such a knee-jerk reaction to the recent school shooting, and, as is often the case, the knee-jerk overrides wisdom.

No gun violence has ever occurred without a gun present.  Introducing more guns (even if legally so) raises the prospect of gun activity.  And it's way too easy to imagine scenarios where a legally introduced gun ends up creating difficulties where an absence of guns would have created no such difficulty.

For instance, one likes to imagine that an adult with a gun could have made a very different at Sandy Hook.  But that situation is a real outlier.  According to Stop the Shootings, in the last 20 years there have been 386 shooting events at schools (and universities) in the US.  This includes interpersonal disputes that happened to play out at a school, accidental shootings, suicides at school, shootings near schools and events without fatalities.  Suicides are more frequent than Sandy Hooks and Columbines.  (The web site even lists as an episode a prematurely born baby dying at a hospital near a school--no gun even mentioned.  In other words, the number 386 is counting episodes very different from Sandy Hook.)

The tragedy of Sandy Hook notwithstanding, the day to day reality of school is much more complicated.  And day to day, the presence of guns creates risks that wouldn't be there without guns.

It's hard to imagine, for instance, a school creating a policy and procedure regarding a teacher's gun that would be reliably safer for the school.  Would the adult be required to have the gun in his/her possession at all time?  If so, it would not be long before someone discerned that s/he had it.  (Scuttlebutt and gossip, for which schools--students and staff alike--are notorious, will quickly override Rep. Pike’s intention that only the Superintendent will know who has a gun.)  In that case, the person would become an object of fear for some students, a target for others who might commit violence.  Not to mention, the previously non-existent risk of accidental discharge would not become a real concern.

If the adult isn't required to have it on his/her person at all times, then you've got another kind of 'control' issue.  Where is it, when not with the owner?  How is it made safe?  If kids get into their parents' guns at home, intentionally  or unintentionally, the same will happen at school.  It's far too easy to imagine the middle or high schooler planning on violence or spurred by circumstances to 'go after' a teacher's gun, or a 5 year old (as the Newtown students were) 'accidentally accessing' a gun.  Then what would happen--politically--when a teacher's gun kills or wounds a student?

And what about the Newtown-type episodes?  It's easy to hope a teacher's gun could have stopped that before it started.  But let's not forget that there are many other just as plausible scenarios that are less appealing.  The more obvious are that cross-fire from legal guns strikes other children, or more than one teacher gun gets involved thereby multiplying the shooting, or a protracted gun battle ensues (as the shooter takes a strategically defensive posture) and when the authorities arrive, they enter a much more confused--and potentially more deadly--situation.

These heightened risks are as great, or greater, than the hoped for benefits of having an adult's gun at school, especially since the type of episode that a teacher gun could really address are so few in number to begin with.  Let’s be wise, and do what we can to keep all guns out of school.