Gun violence is a serious and growing threat to human life and culture. Increasing rates of mass shootings and suicides on campus have opened much speculation and debate on school security policies and legislation to prevent and eliminate such a threatening situation. The safety of students and teachers has become a matter of concern for school administrations and demands awareness and effective security measures. As reported by the National Conference of State Legislatures, among the fifty US states which allow the citizens to bear concealed weapons, sixteen ban concealed weapons on campus (“Guns on Campus: Overview”, 2019). At least twenty-four states allow their school administrations to decide on permitting guns on campus for teachers and other staff under certain requirements (Wilkins, 2020). A widespread issue is whether permitting weapons on campus is going to produce more violence or decrease it. Teachers should be authorised to carry concealed guns in schools and attend training courses as a means to prevent mass shootings and hazardous situations. Weapons will enable teachers to provide extra protection as measures of safety on campus, promptly confront violent individuals, and prevent or minimize possible deaths.
Many schools develop emergency protocols and responses to prevent threatening situations and mass casualties. Campaigns for promoting stricter gun control and weapon carry for staff members are being prompted. Parents, faculty members, and administrations are starting to be more aware of the fact that they can contribute to the safety on campus. Everyone deserves to be protected and holds the right to self-defense (Burnett, 2020). Police officers play an important role in protecting schools, but a single guard may encounter difficulties in keeping unexpected outbursts of violence under control. For a person with a firearm determined to harm and kill, the first target can be the officer in uniform, who is usually the one to disarm and fire back an attacker. There can be various scenarios of emergencies, and an extra layer of protection is crucial to decrease the possible damage. Permitting concealed carry on campus is meant to add to the security measures against violence in educational institutions.
Nowadays, most schools have established emergency policies taking into consideration the rate of deaths and incidents on campus. Educators and students are trained to challenge an armed attacker by security teams. However, teachers may be defenseless and lose control of the situation if an intruder threatens the safety of children in a lockdown situation. Many staff members are forced to take risky measures to protect the innocent and prevent deaths, losing their own lives or health. Seconds matter, and during decisive moments of a mass shooting, even an immediate reaction of law enforcement may be too late for someone’s life. FASTER is a program created by parents and people concerned to provide practical training to teachers to be prepared for violent attacks. Their goal is to help teachers develop quick reactions to violence, as well as provide first aid if necessary (FASTER, 2020). A prepared and armed faculty staff will have the confidence and resources to disarm or withstand an attacker on time.
Educational institutions are a safe place parents send their children to acquire knowledge and evolve. Incidents and danger are never expected but once they occur, minimizing the damage is of utmost importance. Students for Campus Carry, an advocacy group, believes that firearms provide means of self-defence for students and faculty personnel. They further mention that mass shootings can be prevented from escalation by well-trained licensed gun owners, and no negative incident has occurred in places which permit gun carry on campus (Common arguments against campus carry, 2020). Public mass shooters recon and plan beforehand and the knowledge of permitted concealed guns on campus may instill fear and reluctance in a potential killer.
A national debate and controversy revolve around allowing firearms on campus. Without undergoing proper training, school teachers may not be effective in stopping or preventing attacks on school safety. Improper weapon storage may also incriminate safety in case if a student is able to access or steal it (Rogers et al., 2018). According to the data collected from the school shootings which happened from 2000 to 2018, schools which allow the teachers to carry firearms have been outstandingly safe, and no incidents or accidental discharges have been registered (Lott, 2019). The presence of guns in schools may at first create a tense environment for many teachers and students on campus, however, during attacks of a violent individual, weapons serve as tools of self- defense for adults to intervene and protect themselves and vulnerable children. A shotgun is as dangerous as a kitchen knife in a person’s hand who aims to harm.
School-based weapon violence is a serious issue demanding efficient approaches to reduce or prevent tragic events. Educational institutions should provide a safe and peaceful environment for everyone. Once gun-free zones, American colleges today are permitted by their states to allow weapons on campus as the measures against high-risk situations. Some states allow their educational institutions to set their policies concerning concealed carry and decide whether to permit firearms at schools or not. Time is limited in such situation as mass shootings, and an armed teacher can save lives before police officers can respond to the emergency. The protocols established as preventative measures are also reinforced by faculty members who can confront intruders. Finally, the most important reason for trusting teachers with more responsibilities is the safety and protection of innocent lives under the wing of schools.
References
Burnett, D. (2020). All Posts | Students for Concealed Carry | Self-Defense is a Human Right. Students for Concealed Carry.
Common arguments against campus carry. (2020). Students for Concealed Carry: Self-Defense Is a Human Right.
Faculty/administrator safety training & emergency response. (2016). FASTER Saves Lives.
Guns on Campus: Overview. (2019) National Conference of State Legislatures.
Lott, J. R. (2019). Schools that allow teachers to carry guns are extremely safe: Data on the rate of shootings and accidents in schools that allow teachers to carry. SSRN Electronic Journal, 1–37.
Rogers, M., Lara Ovares, E. A., Ogunleye, O. O., Twyman, T., Akkus, C., Patel, K., & Fadlalla, M. (2018). Is arming teachers our nation’s best response to gun violence? The perspective of public health students. American journal of public health, 108(7), 862–863.
Wilkins, J. (2020). 50-State Comparison: K-12 School Safety. Education Commission of the States.