SHOULD TEACHERS CARRY HANDGUNS IN CASE OF DANGEROUS INTRUDERS? WEIGH THE PROS AND CONS

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Should Teachers Carry Handguns in Case of Dangerous Intruders?

Few years back, the school were the places were student goes to learn and to save grades and now it is a time when they don’t go to school to save their lives. Should teachers carry guns in schools is a new hot debate in America after May 8, when Florida passed a new bill that allowed teachers to carry guns during class, which worried the black community: they feared that teachers would be in a more dangerous situation after legalizing their guns. Since the major school shootings in Florida in February 2018, several states in the United States have acted to protect student safety through teacher-training measures. A teacher for self-defense will carry a weapon in schools. In America, there have often been cases of attacks on schools by school children. Therefore, many people think that it is necessary to carry a weapon for teachers in schools however it is not ethically right that teachers carry guns in schools because teachers are role models not guards.

Efforts to tighten gun laws have been going nowhere for years, especially as the Republicans are against it. US President Donald Trump has argued that teachers should carry firearms in the classroom to protect them from intruders. Thirty states have now allowed this, he said recently at an event organized by the NRA armistice organization in Indianapolis. (Ghiani, Marco, Summer, and Christopher 47).

The Colorado laws allow people who have trained in handguns, without a criminal record or historical addiction, to carry concealed weapons, said Matt Turner, spokesman for the Weld County Sheriff's Office. It is also possible to carry concealed weapons in schools, provided you have obtained the authorization of the board of directors. Authorized weapon bearers in schools will now also be able to attend these intensive courses, funded by Coloradans for Civil Liberties, which also include emergency care. "The goal is not to replace the police and emergency medical personnel, but to allow teachers, administrative staff and others to quickly stop violence in schools and provide immediate care," says the website. of the Faster association, which organizes the trainings. (Brown1)

Additionally, this initiative has spurred organizations to control arms: "the danger of introducing firearms into a school environment is worsening when lethal weapons are allowed," Faster says, " Ken Toltz, from Safe Campus Colorado, cited by the 9NEWS channel. The carrying of weapons in schools is increasing, according to Ms. Carno: "I know about thirty schools where it is practiced, I imagine there are more", especially "in rural areas where the Police intervention time is 30 to 45 minutes " (Mitchell1)

There are many disadvantages of keeping guns by teachers at schools including fear, anxiety, more violence, and may be more use of guns. If teachers will carry guns, it was creating anxiety and panic not only among students but also among their parents who are already worried about shooting incidents in American schools. On the other hand, black students and their parents are worried that the law allows guns to be brought into the classroom and puts blacks, Latinos, and Indian students at risk. They think they are more severely disciplined than white students, and the legalization of teachers with guns may make them the threat is even greater. Teachers and other staff who want to or should be able to carry arms at school must be registered by the School District for the Guardian Program, according to the new law. They then undergo training at the local sheriff's office, where they are trained in firearms and trained in safe handling. Candidates are also psychologically assessed and tested for drug use. Certified participants in the Guardian Program have no police powers, so they cannot arrest anyone.

Another disadvantage of keeping guns by teachers at schools is related to the changing concept of teachers because since beginning, it is considered that teachers are to help children to be morally good but if they carry guns, it give the message to students that keeping guns are good and the only way to self-defense. Is this what parents are expecting from schools and teachers?

In fact, firearms for teachers are already common in hundreds of US schools, especially in rural areas. However, the legal situation in the individual states is not as clear as described by Trump in a simplified way. Some allow firearms only for security forces, while others provide open language that is interpreted differently by different school districts. This is also creating a new law related issue (Wallace74)

Many people especially parents argue that the job of teachers is not to defend students in fact their job is to spread knowledge and educate kids. If teachers start defending students then what is the duty of law enforcement department and government, who on one hand talk about American dream and on other hand cannot save our children in schools? If this new trend of violence remained in schools then the meaning of “no child left behind” become true in a sense that there will be no child left behind to leave school.

Teachers are humans and it can be unsafe because anger, racism, or some other situation may provoke them to use guns and above all a proper training is also required to use guns. On the other hand, if student know that their teachers are having guns and they may bring it in schools for their self-defense. There is another odd situation may occur if in any situation student take teachers gun or use it then who will be responsible.

Furthermore, if we talk about the advantages of keeping guns at school, then it can be only for safety and self-defense and may be in some dangerous intruding event it can be used. But disadvantage of keeping guns by teachers at school can be critical. In stead of allowing teachers to keep guns in schools there must be some good security system at schools where no further shooting incident happens. The purpose of supervision is to identify hazards arising from the behavior of the child or other children. Supervision should be organized in such a way that the privacy of children is not unreasonably disturbed, but that the objectives of the supervision are met. (Price, James , and Jagdish 165).

The teacher is responsible for the professional conduct of the educational process, as well as for the formation of a supportive and safe environment at the school. The teacher forms the learning environment, chooses the methodology and pace, as well as the degree of difficulty appropriate for the student. The resolution of everyday light conflicts and misunderstandings the teacher deals with himself. The teacher agrees with the parent how to respond to the child’s possible inappropriate behavior, as well as when and how to exchange information with each other about it. In situations where, fellow practitioners or a teacher feel in danger, the teacher is obliged and entitled to receive the support of colleagues and the head of the school.

In terms of security, we are not talking about school life separately. Security is shaped and expressed in all actions that occur in school. The school, its structure and the state are responsible for ensuring that the spiritual, social and physical environment in general develops a young person and arouses his interest in development. All adults are responsible for ensuring that children at school are noticed, must support them and their colleagues. To do this, we must constantly work in the name of creating a safe learning environment.

Work cited

Brown W. “Arming Teachers Is a Dangerous Proposal.” EverytownResearch.org, 3 Apr. 2019,

everytownresearch.org/arming-teachers-dangerous-proposal/.

Mitchell, Anna. “Pro/Con: Should Teachers Carry Guns In School?” Trnwired, 13 Dec. 2018,

trnwired.org/2018/03/pro-con-should-teachers-carry-guns-in-school/.

Ghiani, Marco, Summer Sherburne Hawkins, and Christopher F. Baum. "Gun laws and school

safety." J Epidemiol Community Health (2019): jech-2018.47

Price, James H., and Jagdish Khubchandani. "School Firearm Violence Prevention Practices and

Policies: Functional or Folly?." Violence and Gender (2019).165

Wallace, Lacey Nicole. "Guns in School: Juveniles and Teachers." Handbook of Research on

School Violence in American K-12 Education. IGI Global, 2019. 74-97.