Arming teachers isn’t answer to school violence

By Sarah Dimsdale
Hurricane High School

Because of the threat of school violence, schools in Texas are teaching children as young as kindergarten age to defend themselves and fight back in the case of an attack. A Wisconsin legislator is pushing for legislation to allow teachers, administrators and other faculty members to carry concealed weapons.

Are these good ideas, or are they taking the idea of school safety too far?

“I don’t think teachers should have guns because if they don’t like their students, they would shot them,” said Hurricane senior Jessica Linville.

“I don’t know if I would go to school if my teachers had guns,” said senior Emily Sealey. “It would actually be uncomfortable for everyone.”

Is it really a good ides to give a teacher a loaded gun in a room full of minors? Will the teachers be properly trained how to use the guns? Where are they going to keep the guns so that they have fast access to them but the students don’t? These are all serious questions to be considered.

“Where on earth would the teacher put the gun?” asked Jennifer Keagen, a Hurricane senior. “Let’s just put more people at risk by having teachers carry guns at all times [and put them] where a student may or may not at any time be capable of getting [them].”

It’s true that the idea of armed teachers does have its benefits, and obviously the idea is well-intentioned, but the matter should be looked at in more depth before any laws are passed.

“Wouldn’t everyone be at higher risk of being injured or killed by guns if teachers are going to be carrying one everyday?” asked senior Lauren McCoy.