Teachers consider impact of bearing arms

In response to the recent shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, President Donald Trump and others have floated the idea of arming teachers.

“If a teacher was adept with the firearm, they could end the attack very quickly,” Trump said.

But not all teachers want to take up the responsibility of handling a weapon.

“Do you want me to be armed?” language arts teacher Carrie Glass said. “Schools cannot even buy us the teaching supplies we need, how will they be able to pay for the training and guns? I don’t have the time or the money to pay for it myself.”

Language arts teacher Adrienne Gent also expressed concern about the idea.

“I am a gun advocate,” she said. “My family hunts all the time. But having teachers carry guns poses a risk. A teacher, like me, can easily be overpowered by a stronger student.”

Math teacher Steve Thomas who firmly believes in the Second Amendment and has had experience handling weapons disagrees with the proposal.

“Having been in the Army, I have had extensive training in using a 45, M-16, grenades, etcetera,” he said. “I have seen soldiers hurt, maimed, and killed during training when improperly handling weapons. Giving teachers guns in the environment of a classroom is not a very good idea.”

Latin teacher Tim O’Flaherty agrees.

“It is a bad idea when it comes to giving teachers weapons,” he said. “On the other hand, violence stems from illiteracy and lack of a proper father figure.”

Social studies teacher Anthony Raheb, on the other hand, would be willing to carry a firearm at school.

“I agree with the president’s statement,” he said. “If there is a threat right outside my portable, I can get there quicker than [School Resource] Officer [Valerie] Butler possibly can.”

By Sirish Ojha