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Should teachers carry guns? Should teachers carry guns?
No, teachers should not carry guns No, teachers should not carry guns
Yes, teachers should carry guns. Yes, teachers should carry guns.
Teachers lack the tactical knowledge needed to handle weapons Teachers lack the tactical knowledge needed to handle weapons
Guns in a school environment will only invite trouble Guns in a school environment will only invite trouble
Students will view the possibility of violence as a normal part of life Students will view the possibility of violence as a normal part of life
Funds should go into investing for learning rather than guns Funds should go into investing for learning rather than guns
Guns can end up in the wrong teacher's hands. Guns can end up in the wrong teacher's hands.
Arms on a school campus can halt school shootings and mitigate the damage Arms on a school campus can halt school shootings and mitigate the damage
School security can be bolstered by arming teachers. School security can be bolstered by arming teachers.
Money on school security can be saved by arming teachers instead of hiring a police officer. Money on school security can be saved by arming teachers instead of hiring a police officer.
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Should teachers carry guns?
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No, teachers should not carry guns

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Teachers lack the tactical knowledge needed to handle weapons

Extensive training is needed to handle dangerous weapons such as guns. Placing a gun in an untrained teacher's hands is a liability and dangerous to the students.
Major Cities Chiefs Association The American Federation of Teachers National Education Association National School Safety and Security Services
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The Argument

Teachers have an array of degrees from academic institutions. They are experts in their respective fields. However, teachers are not considered experts in public safety, like police officers or security guards.[1] Law enforcement officials receive, on average, 840 hours of basic training with 168 hours being specifically for weapons, self-defense, and the use of force.[2] Even with this training, law enforcement officers are not immune to crumbling under pressure. An evaluation of the NYC Police Department’s firearm training found that an officer's shot accuracy significantly decreased when engaged on the ground. This begs the question; how might a teacher’s already limited knowledge of ballistics fair? Not only is lack of tactical knowledge an issue, but this policy opens teachers to criminal liability should they be in a shootout, and state immunity laws will not exempt schools from all legal liability.[3]

Counter arguments

In order to obtain a weapon, each state has certain regulations to be fulfilled. On top of these regulations, legislators and policymakers are mulling over the idea of adding training for educators.

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1300&context=law_review
  2. https://everytownresearch.org/report/arming-teachers-introduces-new-risks-into-schools/
  3. https://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1415&context=elj

In the Wild

This page was last edited on Sunday, 20 Sep 2020 at 00:53 UTC

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