Argumentative Essay: Should Teachers Keep Guns In Schools?

During the past few years, the number of school shootings has increased markedly. In 2013, there were 19 school shootings that occurred, taking so many innocent lives. Some may remember the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14th, 2013. It was the second deadliest massacre shooting in United States history, behind the 2007 Virginia Tech Massacre. Adam Lanza shot twenty children, six staff, his mother, and himself that day. School shootings are tragic. Violence continues to increase with these shootings, as well as with violence within the schools among the students. The big question is, how do we protect ourselves from these horrible occurrences? How do teachers protect the innocent lives of their students? One common suggestion is for the teachers and administration to be armed. The premise is that if the school staff has possession of firearms this would discourage shooters, thereby making the schools much safer. However, it is my belief that teachers should not be able to have access to weapons. There should never be any type firearm on a school property, excluding trained security personnel, such as police officers and security guards.

Another solution would be the training and arming of teachers, allowing those willing to protect their students to have a means to do so. This likely could have saved the life of Victoria Soto, a brave but unarmed 27 year old teacher who hid her students and then told the Sandy Hook Elementary School gunman that they were in the gym before she, with no means by which to protect herself, was killed.

Yet another idea that has been brought forth to help keep schools safer is by giving teachers guns. All around the country we hear mixed reviews based off this question, should we arm our teachers? If you were to go to the news app on your phone, you might see an article on why the NRA wants to arm teachers, or how Jesse Davidson from Dalton High School in Georgia was charged with barricading himself inside his classroom and firing a handgun. I understand that this debate is highly controversial and that a good number of Americans have their own opinion in this matter. Well, this is my opinion.

Shootings are not an out of ordinary event in the world today. Shootings happen every day, but may not get the attention because they are not deemed news worthy. Sadly school shootings happen more and more frequently. How many school shootings do we need to have schools start protecting our children? When are we going to do a better job to stop people from committing these unspeakable acts? The signs that are posted are surely not enough. Do Gun Free Zone Sign really detour people from bringing weapons to school? If we give these potential gunmen a reason to think twice, there maybe will be less school shootings. School faculty should be allowed to carry concealed weapons on school grounds.

Juvenile Crime says, “As a society, do we really want our teachers to be prepared to shoot children, perhaps even kill them?”After the tragedy at Dene Building of the La Loche Community School, schools are asking that teachers be allowed to carry guns to protect themselves and their students. As a high school student this is a mixed feeling for me. This subject truly speaks to me, because I firmly believe that if someone comes at you with a gun

School should be a place of peace and opportunity, but gaps in the system of gun control threatens the safety of faculty and students. School shootings have killed a total of 297 lives, young and old (Slate Magazine). Gun control has been a continuous nationwide debate for many years. It seems that no one wants to take a stance against guns unless they are personally affected. In order to take control of the matter and prevent more incidents from continuing schools need to change. To achieve a safe environment in schools need to educate faculty, safe and students, heighten security, and assess mental health issues.

If a tighter restriction is placed on gun control, thus making it harder for individuals to obtain their own personal firearm, our elementary and secondary schools would be more sheltered and secure. On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza a “socially awkward” twenty year old went rogue. Lanza went on a shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut which resulted in the death of twenty kindergarten children, four educators, the principle and the school’s psychologist. The mass murder ended when Lanza turned the gun on himself; just before the horrific massacre Lanza shot his mother to death in their home a couple minutes away from the elementary school. Regulating gun control would make schools much safer than the society as a whole.

Since 2010 there have been thirty-one school shootings in the United States alone (Black). In this past year, the year of 2013, there have already been 8 school shootings in the USA (Black). Eight school shootings in one month. That number is outrageous and not healthy for our students to have the best learning experience. No student deserves to go to school fearing that they may fall victim to violence at their school. I believe that our schools can be made safer by a law being written that teachers should be allowed to carry concealed firearms in school. It is best for teachers to carry firearms to school because it will provide safety to

Should teachers carry guns? This question has been making the circuit frequently due to the recent rash of school shootings. It is completely understandable that the shooting in Florida and recent dangers involving guns in a school environment is causing a lot of fear in our country. We need a way to defend ourselves from those who want to harm us, but I do not agree with giving teachers guns in schools because it is just bringing more danger to others and it is very unnecessary for a teacher whose primary job is to teach a class.

The safety of children is the schools and teachers number one priority aside from educating them; however, numerous school shootings have led to fatalities of both students and faculty. Allowing teachers to carry loaded guns, upon receiving their concealed weapons permit, would increase safety in schools. Among the various shootings, the tragic Virginia Tech massacre resulted in the deaths of 32 individuals, both teachers and students, and 17 injuries. The shooter was a student attending the college, who after his rampage then turned the gun on himself. (Cook and Goss 47)

Teachers having a gun can also deter an attack before it even happens. According to Michael Brown, “ There are two reasons why a disturbed teen who is planning an attack will be deterred. First, they could

David Thweatt, superintendent of the Harrold Independent School District, says, “Violence could happen anywhere. There are as many ways to address school safety as there are schools in Texas.” A recurring subject is the reliability of the teachers. As for their reliability, “...armed teachers would have to be volunteers who pass strict psychological testing, and go through at least as much training in firearms and the judicious use of deadly force as current laws demand of armed security guards” (Ayoob). Officer John Diamond also states that these volunteer staff members would be thoroughly investigated. The country’s current most common prevention tactic is to hire on-site police officers. “It costs $45,000 per officer annually to do this. With a large school like Mentor High, which isn’t even the largest high school in the state, a lot of security officers are needed. The numbers add up quickly to create an enormous sum.”

In 2015, a school shooting in Franklin, North Carolina occurred. At South Macon Elementary School, two suspects, Adam Conley and Kathryn Jeter, had told the sheriff and other investigators, “it was God’s will to shoot children and teachers”. Unfortunately, the sheriff had found the stray cat that all the students loved, dead from a gunshot wound. One of the suspects had told the sheriff, “the cat was defective”. Thankfully, no other injuries were sustained during the shooting. Attacks like this happen an average of every week throughout the United States. However, by arming teachers and having guns used for protection in schools, these occurrences would be fewer. It is less likely to happen, if the attacker knows someone on the other side is ready to fire back.

Today I have told you a thing or two about guns and gun rights, it has good supporting detailed facts about school shooting and safety rules, and why kids shouldn?t touch guns? if we don?t do something to stop these gunman?s they could kill thousands of kids or

In Clarksville, Arkansas many teachers, janitors, and other faculty members have already begun to act as armed guards, ready to defend and protect at any moment necessary. This school district along with the parents feel that arming their teachers and staff is the most effective way to keep their students and children safe. The writer proceeds to express some of the many concerns that this school district had. One being that their school is located twenty minutes away from the nearest police station, which is far too long of a response time to effectively stop the shooting, therefore if school officials are armed it gives everyone a “fighting chance”. Additionally, the writer further emphasizes on the fact that hiring one school officer would cost the district $50,000 while training thirteen staff members only cost $68,000.