Columbine High School, Virginia Technical College and Sandy Hook Elementary School – the names of these schools will forever be etched into the memory of this country. A total of seventy-two lives combined, were taken during three of the deadliest shootings in American history. The most recent school shooting, Sandy Hook Elementary School, has sparked an urgent conversation about school safety - should teachers and school personnel be armed, should all schools have a police officer on the premises throughout the entire school day? Protecting our children while their at school has quickly returned to national spotlight (Blake). .
Those who support arming school staff members, argue that doing so would deter violence. They believe that if a perpetrator knows that adults at a school are armed, would cause him to think twice before attacking a classroom of children. On the other hand, those who oppose arming teachers and school employees believe that doing this will send the wrong message to students. Having teachers with guns in the school leads the students to believe violence is the way to handle their problems; it tells them that if they can't handle their problems on their own bringing a gun to school is the answer. However, the answer to school shootings is not more guns in schools rather efforts should be focused on stopping the violence, not adding to it (Portland Press Herald).
My opponents maintain that allowing teachers to be armed will give students, teachers and parents a sense of security. They assert that knowing a gun is on campus and in the hands of a teacher or administrator would make them feel safe and give them a fighting chance. However, I believe having a gun on campus could cause injury and confusion leaving parents, teachers and students feeling uneasy. Children could get hurt in a gun battle, and what happens when police arrive on the scene of a shooting and see someone in the classroom holding a gun? The police won't know if it's a teacher or an intruder and will just shoot, possible killing a teacher.
