Guns for Teachers?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

The sounds of students going about their usual routine, laughing in the halls and learning in the classrooms, were punctuated by the sounds of gunfire as Luke Woodham entered the school and killed two students on Oct. 1, 1997, in Pearl, Miss.

Principal Roy Balentine saw Woodham with the rifle, and, rather than confronting him, ran to his office to call the police. As he waited for them, seven more students were shot.

Woodham had a very simple plan. He would continue to shoot students with his single-shot rifle until he heard sirens, then he would get in his car and drive to the junior high and continue his assault.

Fortunately, he didn't get that chance. Assistant Principal Joel Myrick ran out to his car where he kept a .45 pistol in his trunk. He retrieved the gun and confronted Woodham, holding him at gunpoint until the police arrived.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/20/guns-for-teachers/

Let wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.

David

[tomreedtoon]

1. Än armed schoolroom is a polite schoolroom.

Well, I guess that puts the lie to THAT idea. (When was there ever a polite schoolroom, except when teachers were not in the schoolroom at all?)

[gorfle]

2. Of course.

Since the beginning of time there have been people who take advantage of the helpless. Today is no different. There will always be some sick individual out there who gets it in their mind that the thing to do is go kill a bunch of defenseless and undefended children, and schools are easily available targets for such grotesque endeavors. Whether it is picking them off with a rifle, or driving a car into a crowd of kids at recess, it can be done, it has been done, and it will be done again.

I am very pro-RKBA, including concealed carry. I believe that if a person is law-abiding enough to walk down main street surrounded by thousands of their fellow citizens while armed, then they should be law-abiding enough to visit a school campus while armed.

However, I believe there should be extremely stiff penalties for failure to secure a weapon in the presence of children, especially if an accident occurs. Carrying a firearm is an awesome responsibility, as the consequences of mishandling the firearm are great. Carrying a firearm around children is an even greater responsibility, as the consequences of mishandling the firearm are even greater.

So I would support CCW carrying by school personnel, but there should be more training and stiff consequences for screw-ups.

[iverglas]

3. guns for industry

Guns for the dead.

Holy mudhead, mackerel.


Antelope Freeway, 1/4 mile ...

[raimius]

4. Please

Please form proper english sentences. Including a point would be nice, as well. I can't even tell if you were trying to make a point, or if you are simply spamming.

On topic,

Gorfle, you make a reasonable argument. If someone is trusted to carry a firearm in other places, why not a school? People don't become raving lunatics by crossing school property lines. I've seen a few people speak out against so called "gun-free zones" (only LEGAL-gun free, in reality).

[iverglas]

5. yes, it is my fault

that your cultural knowledge is so deficient that you don't recognize Firesign Theatre when you see it, or grasp what is implied by citing Firesign Theatre ...

[raimius]

6. Oh

Then, perhaps, you would care to state what you were implying, since I have such little understanding of popular radio programs from the 1960-1970s

[iverglas]

8. Okay

I was implying that nonsense was being talked.

[raimius]

12. So

I take it you are opposed to citizens (who are in good standing with the law and have undergone all applicable legal requirements to carry firearms in public) being allowed carrying said firearms onto the grounds of public schools. Am I correct, or are there other specifics you would like to add?

If so, you may want to add your support to Students for Gun Free Schools. They need a few people who can debate for their side.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. More a case of you talking nonsense

[Hugabear]

7. How often does this really happen? Enough to really warrant this?

Let's say that laws are passed to allow teachers to carry guns. How long would it take before some teacher left their gun in their desk, and a student found it? How long before some kid stole a teacher's gun and used it on someone else?

Don't many schools already have resource officers on campus?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

9. The article seems to say that assaults on teachers are common.

Is it enough to warrant allowing teachers, who are licensed to carry a concealed firearm, to carry those firearms on school premises? I don't know that's why I posted the article.

David

[AthiestLeader]

10. Should it matter that the gun was in his car?

I noticed in the story he mentioned the gun was in his car. So I pose another question. Should the guns be allowed to be contained in the school?

[raimius]

11. Private automobiles

Cars are often considered the private property of the owner, and this may allow fewer restrictions than the place where it is parked.
Florida had a bit of a debate over such laws w.r.t. firearms last year.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

14. I believe that they are already banned at high schools