Should Teachers Be Allowed to Carry Firearms in the Classroom? - Controversial Essay

Introduction

Controlling the classroom is possibly the hardest aspect of teaching. This is because the teacher is supposed to know every activity that takes place in their class while still impacting knowledge to their students. The teachers may find this difficult when the students decide not to pay attention in class. Another factor that makes it hard to control a class is that most public schools have more students than the teacher can handle, this leaves the teachers exhausted and only focusing on the major activities happening in class or a particular group of students thus neglecting the rest of the class.

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In January 23rd Marshall Country High, Benton, Ky reported a case of a mass shooting that left 2 students dead, the worst case so far happened in Feburuary 14th in Stoneman Douglas High, Parkland, Florida where an ex-student allegedly committed a mass shooting that left about 17 students dead and others injured ( Katsiyannis, Whitford, and Robin, 2). This statistics and those that have happened in the resent years may have been the fueling factors to the debate whether teachers should carry guns to classes.

According to the Gun-free School Zones act of 1990 states that it is illegal for any individual to carry a firearm knowingly within a 1000feet of any school zone (Rocque, 307). This essay, however, shall support the debate that teachers should be allowed to carry guns to class, it shall look at the benefits of a teacher having a gun in class and how best the teachers can have the gun without posing as a treat to the students and the community as a whole.

First, a sense of safety is achieved when the teachers are allowed to carry guns to class. Due to the mass shootings that have taken place in the recent year's parents, teachers and students walk to schools in fear that something wrong may happen to them (Burns, Ronald, and Charles, 147) Allowing teachers to carry guns thus gives the community the feeling of being safe and protected from harm

According to different research carried out, it is clear that people trust a police officer to help them when they are in danger because of the following reason, the police are able to protect them because they are equipped to face any danger. The police are provided with guns by the government to protect themselves and those around them (Drammissi, NPN). It is therefore easy for a citizen to be psychologically relaxed because they feel at peace when around the police. The same results can be achieved if the teachers are allowed to carry guns. The community and especially the students can trust their teachers with their safety.

The second reason why teachers should be allowed to carry guns to class is that their response time is faster compared to that of police in times of danger (Natalie, NPN). This is mostly true in schools located in rural areas. In case of a shooting in the school compound and it's surrounding the teacher is always the first adult that is given the responsibility of protecting the students equipping them with a firearm makes protecting them easy.

A teacher having a firearm will also reduce the number of casualty in an instance of an attack by 2/3. This is because the teacher is able to fight back within a short period of time. The teacher should, therefore, be given a gun in order to give him an equal fighting chance in case of an incident. A good example to support this is the incidence that took place in 1997. Luke Woodham a 16year old entered Pear High School when carrying his father's hunting raffles. When he began to open fire the deputy principal Joel Myrick run to his truck and got out his Colt,45 automatic Piston. He forced the gunman to surrender by pointing the gun at his head (Burns, Ronald, and Charles, 151). This shows how a teacher with a firearm can respond quickly to a state of emergency and be able to reduce casualties.

Though it is important that a teacher is given firearms they should also be offered training. Training on how a firearm is used come in handy in order to avoid more casualties. The government should invest in buying and training the teachers on how to use the fire army and how to defend the students even when they don't have a gun and the enemy possesses one. This move to train the teacher has been encouraged by the president of united states of America President Donald Trump in his second white house meeting, he said "I want certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry guns, to have a permit to carry concealed firearms in schools." (Natalie, NPN) This, therefore, becomes clear that there is a need for the teachers to receive training before they are handed the guns.

The teachers will also be required to put their guns in protective safes. The teacher should not be allowed to carry his or her gun publicly rather it should be carried in a secretive manner inside the protective safe. The teachers should not be allowed to draw their weapons in class if there is no serious danger, they should also not place their guns where the students can see them such as on top of their desks or on top of the selves where students can easily reach them. People's safety should always be considered first (Katsiyannis, Whitford, and Robin, 4).

While this is the solution some people may argue that only 20% of the teachers would agree to carry guns, therefore, leaving 80% not willing carry or be trained in gun use. While this might be a hindrance to the implementation of this strategy the following are solutions of how this can be solved. First, each school could be asked to produce a particular number of teachers who are willing to be trained this, therefore, will allow the 20% to be distributed across the country.

The second solution is the one that is being offered by the president he said that teachers who are willing to carry guns will receive "a little bit of a bonus," (Natalie, NPN) the president will also offer more cash for training sessions. This move may encourage more teachers to enlist and register themselves for the training.

Before the teachers are given the guns they ought to be laws that are put in place to determine the use of guns and the implications that might happen when the teacher uses there weapon for the wrong purpose. The work of the American legislator will be to formulate laws and policy that will govern gun use in school (Rocque, 309). According to the Alabama state legislature, a bill has already been presented to them that will see trained and certified teachers to carry guns to their class. It will, therefore, be important that rules are put in place.

However, this can be a money problem in different states and district around the country (Drammissi, NPN). The government will be forced to ask for more tax from the people so that they can fund the equipment being bought and the training of the teachers. While this is may be costly most people will say that it is a small price that the country has to pay to keep the students safe.

In order for any community to thrive and become stable, it is important that the peoples be guaranteed safety. It is more so important that the children be protected from any danger that they may face, this is because the children are the hope of the future. While the teacher goes to class to offer knowledge he or she should be able to do this knowing that the students are protected from any dangers that may come their way and to achieve this teacher should be allowed to go to classes with guns.

Conclusion

Caring guns to class does not only mean safe school it also means peaceful community. This is because the criminals who seek to invade schools and course harm will not have a conducive environment to course damage. Therefore the number of crimes committed in the community may reduce because more people will be vigilant of danger and not dependent on the police entirely. Giving the teachers weapons, therefore, is not only safe for students but to the community as a whole. The safety of one individual is the safety of all people.

Works Cited

Burns, Ronald, and Charles Crawford. "School shootings, the media, and public fear: Ingredientsfor a moral panic." Crime, Law and Social Change 32.2 (1999): 147-168.

Drammissi, Joseph. "Should teachers be armed? Yes: Staff can keep students safe" The San Diego Union-Tribune , February 28, 2018 http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sd-oe-guns-schools-teachers-20180228-story.html

Katsiyannis, Antonis, Denise K. Whitford, and Robin Parks Ennis. "Historical Examination of United States Intentional Mass School Shootings in the 20 th and 21 st Centuries: Implications for Students, Schools, and Society." Journal of Child and Family Studies (2018): 1-12.

Natalie, Proulx. "Should Teachers Be Armed With Guns?" The New York Times Feb. 23, 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/learning/should-teachers-be-armed-with-guns.html

Rocque, Michael. "Exploring school rampage shootings: Research, theory, and policy." The Social Science Journal 49.3 (2012): 304-313.