This struck a chord with me:

 

"There could be a teacher out there – retired military, retired policeman – that I certainly could trust,” he said. “But on the whole, most teachers are not equipped for that job.”

 

What are your thoughts?

 

If it is limited to the 5 and 1/2 days of training, I would agree, most teachers will not be properly trained for the task. Follow up training/practice would HAVE to be mandatory for a teacher to truly be ready if such a horrible day were to arise.

Don't teachers already have a background check? If so, I'd wonder how this one would differ.

 

My guess is it would be deeper and may involve some psychological review?????

or some student or students overpower a teacher and takes the gun away or some teacher leaves it laying or....

 

For this to work, knowledge of which teachers are armed would have to be secret to most people at the school. The principal and maybe whoever handles general campus security should be the only other people in the know. Everyone else should be in the dark and the gun completely concealed.

I do realize this is well intentioned and there are those that want to do everything they can to safeguard against a random or mass shooting incident. I just don't see this deterring the mentally unstable persons that do these awful things.

 

Most active shooters tend to show traits of cowardice. Once someone engages the active shooter, rarely does a gun fight break out, usually the active shooter commits suicide. If he (generally they are males) thinks there is a good chance he will meet resistance, he will probably not go through with the plan. "Gun Free Zones" such as the theater in Colorado are favorite spots.

All great points Bert!

 

It should be secretive otherwise the shooters will target the armed teachers first and execute them, way way more training and on-going training is needed, and I would say only the top 5% or so of teachers are qualified.

 

I know this isn't going to sit well with many teachers but teachers spend so much time around high school kids all too often they act like them.

All great points Bert!

 

It should be secretive otherwise the shooters will target the armed teachers first and execute them,

 

Exactly. Knowledge of who are the armed teachers negates the benefit.

 

I have been told that training has two main points. It give you the mindset to act and not panic when an emergency happens, and it teaches you how to practice more productively so when the teacher goes to the range twice a month, he/she is practicing drills that will best prepare them.

It would be true that for a variety of reasons that many teachers would not be qualified to be a part of this program. Yet, when those who have gone through the process, I feel very confident that they would be very capable to defend the students in their school. As far as guns being left in a drawer, I would image that the gun(s) would be locked in various, unidentified locations, with combinations know only to the qualified teachers.

 

For those who then would jump on the thought "Locked up, why have them?". Even if the cowards who would otherwise might attack a gun free zone, would they have second thoughts about attacking an armed facility and avoid that building? With 2 or 3 teachers qualified, 2-3-4 guns located throughout the building they would have a good chance of slowing down, if not stopping the attacker.

It amazes me that we, in general, think the worst of our fellow workers. I think it should be a mandatory class during the summer given by some entity who provides training to that end. I am all for someone competent carrying in a school situation. I understand the angst among some. I also argue that properly trained it could save lives in the event there was an active shooter. But we will find fault with it somehow, and the answer that could have saved multiple lives was passed over because of the possibility that the armed teacher might lose it and go postal on an entire class. Boy there would be some anti gun sentiment then wouldn't there?

And as an aside, two of the three Oldham Co. high schools were locked down earlier today because of an incident with a current student and a former student. I have no idea if a gun was involved, but considering the Oldham Co. police declared both on lockdown until 11:15 this morning, I'd think that one was involved either physically, or at the minimum the threat of one. So, with that said, I'd hope that in that instance there would be more than one properly trained, armed individual in the school. How difficult would it be to target the "security officer"?

It would be true that for a variety of reasons that many teachers would not be qualified to be a part of this program. Yet, when those who have gone through the process, I feel very confident that they would be very capable to defend the students in their school. As far as guns being left in a drawer, I would image that the gun(s) would be locked in various, unidentified locations, with combinations know only to the qualified teachers.

 

For those who then would jump on the thought "Locked up, why have them?". Even if the cowards who would otherwise might attack a gun free zone, would they have second thoughts about attacking an armed facility and avoid that building? With 2 or 3 teachers qualified, 2-3-4 guns located throughout the building they would have a good chance of slowing down, if not stopping the attacker.

 

Probably should keep the ammo locked in a separate location too...

Probably should keep the ammo locked in a separate location too...

 

Might as well give them advanced ball peen hammer training. Without an available loaded weapon, that's all it would amount to.

Look people, this is all or nothing, this isn't typical public education mumbo jumbo.

 

You need the best of the best, it needs to be secretive, there needs need be tons of training, and the fully loaded weapon needs to be concealed on person at all times.

Look people, this is all or nothing, this isn't typical public education mumbo jumbo.

 

You need the best of the best, it needs to be secretive, there needs need be tons of training, and the fully loaded weapon needs to be concealed on person at all times.

 

Many have proposed just what I wrote. The guns could not be in an unlocked drawer or cabinet. Even with the guns locked away those in the building would stand a better chance of survival than no guns at all. There would be training provided, maybe it could be more than what they are currently talking about and these individuals will have passed background checks. Far better than someone knowing they are entering a gun free zone.

Why not have retired police officers, as substitutes in the schools. Obviously the retired officers will need some basic training in education and classroom management, but it would make the most sense.

I just don't see the proposal a) giving the proper amount of training or b) being selective enough.