Armed With Knowledge, Not Guns
By: Meghan Kopacz
“Guns don't shoot people. By a strange coincidence, people without guns are
very unlikely to shoot anyone either. No, teachers should not be allowed to carry guns in
school for the following reasons, teachers should focus on teaching, the gun could fall
into the wrong hands, and armed teachers make things harder for first responders.
Teachers come to school to teach and it is as simple as that. They do not want to
be on edge, armed and ready for an attack. To begin with, teachers do not have the
training. Imagine if they accidentally shot a student who was coming around a corner,
thinking it was someone intending harm. How can a glock go against a machine gun?
There is just no amount of training that can be had by teachers to properly prepare them
for a school shooter situation. Next, during a lockdown, time is very precious. When a
lock down commences, students need to be in a safe spot, the doors need to be locked,
and the windows need to be locked and covered. However, if you add the time to go get
the fun from a secured safe, time will be limited. It comes down to getting the students
safe, versus getting a gun. There is no time for it all. In addition, teachers signed up to
be teachers, not to have to play the role of a cop. Of course all teachers should want to
protect their students, however, there is a big difference between a teacher who teaches
kids, and a cop who deals with dangerous situations involving guns everyday. In
conclusion, teachers are teachers, not qualified first responders.
What if the gun falls into the wrong hands? There is always a chance that the
bad guy could get a hold of the gun. They could fight the teacher or find one in a desk in
an empty class room. If this happens, the gun is no longer in the teachers control and a
lot is in danger. As well, students could get a hold of the gun. Two students could easily
break into desks, distract the teacher and grab the gun, or wrestle a teacher and grab a
hold of it. From being in the classroom with the gun everyday, the students will know
where it is, and there are always those troub...
