[Ron C.]

I disagree with the AZ Atty Gen - why train only one - train as many as want to be!

From the article, it appears that only Utah has it right... arm school teachers, and any other school employee that wants to be able to defend themselves and their students.

Last paragraph of the article:

Currently, only Utah and Kansas allow people with concealed weapons permits to carry guns in schools. In the wake of the Connecticut shootings, more than 200 teachers in Utah signed up for free concealed-weapons training being offered Thursday by the Utah Shooting Sports Council.

[DoughtyOne]

I agree RonC. The emphasis should be on ‘those who want to carry’. Some folks aren’t up to it, and I think we should allow for that.

IMO, if even five to ten teachers sign on to carry per school, a warning at the front door goes a hell of a long way. And what’s more, I wouldn’t need compensation to get me to do this. I would think of it as my duty.

“Our staff is armed, trained, and determined to use lethal force in defense of our students!”

“If you walk into our school armed with intent to cause harm or mayhem, you will not walk out, and we will possess your gun when you are scraped up and carried off.”

[excalibur21]

Makes perfect sense. If they have no problem arming commercial pilots to protect the plane, they should be greatful to those willing to be armed to protect the school.

[chulaivn66]

I disagree as well. Call forth the militia! There are thousands of veterans trained to arms and regulated to the degree they could be called upon today. Thousands of retired veterans of foreign wars with a strong desire to contribute by volunteering their time to the continued well being of their nation and its’ people. Retired police officers who would be more than willing to play a active role in securing all manner of facilities. There only remains the effort necessary to establish the watch lists and remove the bureaucrats and liberals from barring the way.

But this effort on the Attorney General’s part is as ‘a foot in the door’ to begin the dialogue and in that respect I agree with him.

[petitfour]

There are a lot of unhinged teachers at the local high schools. I am not sure I would want some of them armed. Really. But I am ok with there being armed personnel as long as they have a thorough background check including psychological screening.

[Rapscallion]

I disagree with the AZ Atty Gen - why train only one - train as many as want to be!

I agree, as long as they are trained not to get into a cross-fire themselves.

[WalterSkinner]

..my wife works with teachers who are a couple of bricks shy of load. The California educational system has some real loo loos at the administrative and teaching levels.

IMHO trained School Marshalls or special Sheriff deputies are the only answer...

[pfflier]

All of the high schools in our district have an armed SRO and have had one for several years.

I know of many fellow teachers who would prefer to be armed.

[T-Bird45]

Absolutely agree that more than one should be trained as well as dropping the “criminal empowerment zone” around schools. That way, any time a parent drops by there is no need to disarm or park off-property and they become another “sheepdog” that an evil perp cannot account for in his nefarious plan.

[HP8753]

"Secured Firearm" ????? The way the nutjob in CT came in and the way he was armed still would have resulted in many dead before some teacher was able to run to the Principals office and open any gun safe.

Any Teachers qualified to carry should be carrying.

Another good idea would be to have good steel doors with bullet proof glass on the classrooms.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I would take this a step beyond that. Not only should teachers and administrators be permitted arms on the job, but schools should hire *disabled veterans* as security officers.

The reason I believe this is the way to go is because it was done back in the late 1970s. A high school had student cliques that were showing signs of racial animosity, so the principal hired a disabled Vietnam Veteran (hearing aids) to keep the peace.

This quickly ended the student clique problem, but then it turned out the security guy was soon intercepting adults who were coming onto the open campus to make trouble—a previously unknown problem.

Within a few years, he had an additional three disabled veterans working for him, though he was the only one armed. And they kept very busy stopping all kinds of mischief, at sporting events, preventing car break ins and bicycle thefts in the parking lot, and pinpointing any illegal drug use. And students quickly learned “no fighting” on school property, because these four men did not mess around.

Last but not least as decorated combat vets, they were naturals as role models.

[Carry_Okie]

From the article, it appears that only Utah has it right... arm school teachers, and any other school employee that wants to be able to defend themselves and their students.

That is correct. The training would do a lot to drive a wedge in the teachers' minds between the lies they've been told and the truth as they are trained, making them better teachers.

Now, to get it REALLY right, the school districts should put a premium on hiring teachers with military combat experience.

[Don Corleone]

A good idea except that the vast majority of those limp wrist liberal (educators?) would wet their Depends if shown even a picture of a weapon.

[Enough is ENOUGH]

The most cost effective method for providing school safety would be to provide a few tables and chairs, free Dunkin’ Donuts and coffee to the local police force on staggered coffee breaks.