I’m confused. How is having more guns in school going to solve the problem of mass shootings? Is it meant as a deterrent? As far as I can tell, these sociopaths are going in and shooting until they are captured or killed. Is it just meant to kill the sociopath faster? Instead of protecting the students under their care, you now want teachers to abandon them and go out and confront a gunman. Aren’t you just putting a target on all teachers heads? First responders have already said that they would prefer that guns remain out of schools so that if they see a gunman the decision to fire/withhold fire is automatic. How is adding more guns in schools the solution to having guns in schools?
Yes, the “arm teachers” idea seems to me one of the least helpful things we’ve heard recently.
Those proposing it are (surely) imagining a perfect scenario in which a military or police-trained (white male) teacher has his gun at the ready when the next school shooter walks through the doors. This awesome hero teacher happens to be in the same part of the school where the shooter has entered. He also happens to immediately recognize the situation for what it is before anyone gets hurt (instead of hearing gunshots in the distance, along with screams). This hero teachers steps into the hallway and is able to immobilize the would-be perp before anyone (else) dies.
I have a fairly active imagination and I just can’t see this happening in a significant percentage of active shooter events. I can also see a LOT of problems creeping in.
* Campuses are LARGE these days. The chances of the armed teacher(s) being near the first victims of the intruder are slim. (Also, the intruder will know that some teachers are armed and thus would surely adjust his plan to take that into account.)
* Even very well trained cops and soldiers have a low percentage of hits on intended targets when real action arises. Teachers (or armed security guards) will have that same issue.
* Most school employees don’t fit the NRA’s profile of gun-wielding hero.
And so on…