Should Teachers Pack Heat at Schools to be able to protect Kids from Mass Shootings? I say yes and I wrote this article a few days ago explaining why: Qualified School Officials Should be Allowed Concealed Handguns to Protect Kids from Mass Shootings - Texas Governor Perry Supports
Many people have responded to that article. Most people agreed that it would be a good idea, but some were afraid of the unknown. Let me calm some fears. It is NOT unknown. Some school districts already allow certain teachers to have a concealed weapon.
A small Texas School District, Harold ISD, made national headlines in 2008 when it approved concealed handguns on school campus.
Four years later, Harrold ISD has not had any issues with what they call the "Guardian Plan." Some of the teachers at Harrold ISD pack heat everyday. They have been trained and have received a concealed handgun permit. It is not announced which teachers even have the guns. No one would even know there were guns at Harrold ISD if you did not just read this article. Harrold ISD schools are just like any other school with the exception that they have the ability to stop a mass murderer from shooting and killing 20 innocent school kids like what happened in Newtown Connecticut. In situations like this, seconds count and even a fast police response can be too late.
This idea scares some people, but yet those same people would not be afraid of a police officer at a school with a handgun. Emotions need to be placed aside and rational thinking needs to happen. Think about it, police officers are people too except that they have qualified to be a police officer and have gone through handgun training. There are many teachers that I know of who are just as qualified as anyone to be a police officer and could easily take and pass handgun training. So why be afraid of a qualified teacher having a handgun at school but not be afraid of a police officer with a gun at a school. In many cases the only difference between the teacher and the officer is that the officer has been given a badge. I am not saying that to discredit any police officers. They do a great job and serve their communities, but they cannot be everywhere at once and there certainly are not enough officers to be at every school.
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert Says Armed Principal Could Have Stopped School Shooting and Saved Kids in the Newtown Connecticut Elementary School Shooting
Rep. Gohmert is right. The Sandy Hook Elementary School principal in Newtown, Mrs. Hochsprung, bravely struggled with the shooter trying to stop him from killing the children. Unfortunately, the best way to stop bullets is with other bullets. I believe 100% that this brave principal would have take out the shooter had she been allowed a concealed handgun.
The fact of the matter is that mass shootings happen, on many occasions, at places that no guns are allowed because the shooter knows they can kill people without getting shot back. The way to prevent that is to allow qualified people to have weapons in those "gun free" zones. A mass shooter will think twice about shooting at a school if the shooter does not think he will be able to shoot many people without getting shot and killed quickly, and if the shooter does open fire he will be taken down quickly.
When is the last time you heard of a mass shooting in Israel? The teachers over there carry assault rifles out on the open!
The media might not want you to know it, but MANY mass murder attempts have been stopped by armed citizens.
The idea of qualified teachers at schools having concealed weapons is spreading quickly, especially after so many recent school shootings.
Just this week, the St. Louis Police Chief has come out in support of arming qualified teachers at schools because there are just no enough officers to be at every school.
A few years ago, Peter Morrison proposed allowing qualified teachers to have concealed weapons at Lumberton ISD in my hometown of Lumberton, TX, but his idea was shot down. I bet that Lumberton ISD is rethinking that decision right about now.
To top things off, just this week Texas State Representative Jason Villalba has announced that he will file a bill to allow teachers to have concealed handguns at schools.
