Political Crossfire Forums

LostSoul3412 · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 7791

www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/10/05/school.weapons.ap/index.html?section=cnn_topstories

Quote: MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) -- A state lawmaker, worried about a recent string of deadly school shootings, suggested arming teachers, principals and other school personnel as a safety measure and a deterrent.

I'm curious to see others' opinions on this issue is. Arming teachers in an effort to stop school violence? Concealed weapons for staff members on school campuses?

Personally, I'm opposed to any weapons on school grounds except for those in the hands of police officers.

Wolverine · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 10839 Location: Podunk, Colorado

If the teachers are trained I don't have a problem with it.

LostSoul3412 · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 7791

Wolverine wrote: If the teachers are trained I don't have a problem with it.

Nothing's said about teachers being trained, just about having concealed weapons on campus.

Numb · Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 273

Forced to carry or allowed to carry? I would be against forced but a bit more open to allowed. I doubt it will happen though, remember when they tried to arm jet pilots after 9/11.

LostSoul3412 · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 7791

Numb wrote: Forced to carry or allowed to carry? I would be against forced but a bit more open to allowed. I doubt it will happen though, remember when they tried to arm jet pilots after 9/11.

As far as I know, it's allowed to carry.

mattman42 · Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 661 Location: Maine

It would be optional, which is good because obviously not everyone is comfortable doing so.

Wolverine · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 10839 Location: Podunk, Colorado

LostSoul3412 wrote: Wolverine wrote: If the teachers are trained I don't have a problem with it.

Nothing's said about teachers being trained, just about having concealed weapons on campus.
Concealed training classes are required before a person gets a CCW permit in most states, all but two states.

mattman42 · Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 661 Location: Maine

The guy who suggested arming teachers said on Fox News a lot of firearms training places were offering to provide the training for free.

micfranklin · Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 1:06 am Post subject:

Well, it might not be too bad if the teachers could arm themselves on their own will, but not force them to do that.

ChuckBerry · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 2220 Location: Lafayette, LA

CCW training doesn't teach you much more than the law in the state about when and where to carry, and a basic handgun proficiency test. Knowing when to shoot, and when not to shoot, requires much much more training. Unless teachers can take the same classes as cops and train just as heavily in knowing how to deal with certain situations, I say its a bad idea. Say a shooter takes a kid hostage and faces a teacher with a gun pointed at him, and him with a student in front of him with a gun to the students head. What does the CCW class say about that? Nothing.

I am not opposed to one or more school officials having a high degree of training to know what to do in situations like these to potentially stop one of these armed intrustions. But what if there is more than one attacker? What if they have full auto weapons? What if (God forbid) a teacher were to inadvertenly kill a student in an attempt to stop an attacker?

RooK · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 1994 Location: SE Kentucky

Most cops shoot an annual qualification that is nothing more than landing x many of y rounds within the vitals of a silhouette target with the duty weapon. Unless you're a member of some unique or large LE force, this is what 98% of our boys in blue do to prepare themselves. The exact same requirements exist for CCW in KY, with live range fire.

evil muppet · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 316

Isn't there a federal law against carrying a firearm inside of schools?

mattman42 · Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 661 Location: Maine

Yes, but I think states can make themselves exempt from it (Montana did I think, Oregon too perhaps).

evil muppet · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 316

I personally don't think there should be any laws concerning concealed carry myself. If you can own a gun, then you can carry it any damn way you want for all I care. Why should a teacher be subject to a different set of laws than someone else? If a pizza guy or a gas station attendant can carry a weapon or a concealed weapon then why not a teacher?

Ardent · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 237

Wouldn't it be better to have a school campus police force, similar to the armed university police in the US.

Expecting teachers to train as firearms specialists on top of their main responcibility as educators is just mad.

An already bad situation could be made much worse, with armed shootouts. The teachers could also often find themselves outgunned, kids in the US prefer high powered weaponry and not just standard police issue revolvers.

There would probably be lots of crazed teachers shooting pupils or going on shoting sprees, although they would have to be careful they didn't smack the kids, as shooting is okay but a spanking could result in a law suit. :lol:

What about teacher SWAT Teams and hostage negotiators ??????? :lol:

As for Israeli schools, the children carry gas masks and are in a constant state of war readiness, whilst Thailand has just been taken over following a military coup. Two great examples, perhaps you should start stoning people to death, because it's legal in some Islamic countries. :roll:

Wolverine · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 10839 Location: Podunk, Colorado

If you fear that a teacher would murder your kids its time to take them ot of that school.

mattman42 · Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 661 Location: Maine

Nobody is suggesting teachers assume the role of law enforcement officers. In all likelihood, an armed teacher would lock the classroom door and stay low with their students, gun in hand. That way, if anyone busts through the door to kill them, they can shoot back. Is that really so unreasonable?

micfranklin · Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:12 pm Post subject:

mattman42 wrote: Nobody is suggesting teachers assume the role of law enforcement officers. In all likelihood, an armed teacher would lock the classroom door and stay low with their students, gun in hand. That way, if anyone busts through the door to kill them, they can shoot back. Is that really so unreasonable?

No, not at all. Plus, if one teacher can't get to their gun than other teachers in nearby classrooms can come to the rescue and shoot on the intruder.

mattman42 · Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 661 Location: Maine

Ideally, the teachers would be carrying concealed firearms, so getting ahold of them wouldn't be an issue.

RooK · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 1994 Location: SE Kentucky

Ardent wrote: An already bad situation could be made much worse, with armed shootouts. The teachers could also often find themselves outgunned, kids in the US prefer high powered weaponry and not just standard police issue revolvers.

Police are still issued revolvers somewhere? :shock:

Quote: There would probably be lots of crazed teachers shooting pupils or going on shoting sprees, although they would have to be careful they didn't smack the kids, as shooting is okay but a spanking could result in a law suit. :lol:

Just like all the CCW holders that went on shooting sprees. ;)