As the risk for school shootings becomes ever more present, a controversial means to lower the risk has taken a rise in schools. With each new headline, students grow increasingly anxious about their safety in school buildings. One idea that has been discussed to protect students during school shootings is arming teachers with firearms.
According to a survey conducted by Statista, 35 school shootings have occurred in the United States this year.
Additionally, according to the study Child and Teen Firearm Mortality in the U.S. and Peer Countries, by Matt McGough, “firearms contributed to the deaths of more children ages 1-17 years in the U.S. than any other type of injury or illness.”
School shootings have proven that they will continue to be a problem unless something more is done to prevent them.
Loy Norrix has multiple ways of keeping the student body safe from these intruders, taking action to try and prevent a school shooting threat.
“Any visitor that comes in the building has to provide a government ID. It is scanned and then ran against a database,” said Principal Christopher Aguinaga.
In addition, the school just introduced a new safety measure: the Lockdown Door Barricade, manufactured by Nightlock Lockdown, which is a door blocking device that prevents outsiders from entering the classrooms during lockdowns. There are also numerous screening processes for visitors entering the school, although some students and faculty believe more could be done to protect students.
“I think we need some form of electric monitors in the entry ways, some form of metal detectors,” said social studies teacher Niambi McMillon.
In the past, metal detectors were used in the school for specific occasions, like after a shooting or bomb threat, but putting metal detectors up year round could increase the safety of the school.
“Metal detectors are always a possibility, but logistically it creates some problems,” said government teacher Jay Peterson. “The few times we had them in school, we delayed the start of school significantly because of how students have to process through.”
An increasingly popular solution is arming teachers with weapons, which would potentially increase safety by allowing teachers to quickly eliminate the threat rather than waiting for law enforcement.
According to the New York Times article Trained, Armed and Ready. To Teach Kindergarten, by Sarah Mervosh, an Ohio school currently has teachers who are armed and allowed to carry guns.
However, most Norrix students and staff believe that arming teachers with firearms could impact both student safety and peace of mind.
“I would be terrified,” said senior Bjorn Nelson. “I think it would be very easy for students who may already feel disillusioned with the school environment to have a weapon near them and grab that weapon.”
According to the Michigan Compiled Laws, Section 750.237a, “an individual who possesses a weapon in a weapon free school zone is guilty of a misdemeanor.” However, this does not apply to an individual who possesses a firearm with permission of the school’s principal or a member of the school board. Aguinaga does not plan on granting teachers permission to carry firearms, so staff members will not be exempt from this section of Michigan law.
“I would tell them absolutely not, and if they have a concern with it, they can take it up with human resources,” Aguinaga said.
Sophomore Trevor Pinkster is willing to reason with the idea of teachers carrying firearms, but with some exceptions.
“I feel like if a teacher were to be armed, they would have to go through various training scenarios and have to be relatively fit in order to be armed,” Pinkster said.
If teachers were given firearms, they would have to have the necessary physical or mental training to be able to eliminate a threat with a firearm. Training teachers, however, would cost time and money, and, even with the proper training, most students and staff would still feel unsafe with their teachers carrying firearms. Even professionally trained law enforcement officers are capable of making mistakes and failing to carry out tasks while under stress.
“How do you make that switch, to being a teacher who’s there to protect and teach your students and then in the next moment possibly have to take a life?” Peterson said. “I don’t think any training can prevent that challenge.”
Arming teachers does not ensure that school shootings won’t occur and only pose more danger to the students and staff.
“This is a weapon free school zone by state law, so weapons are not permitted in this building, concealed or open carried,” Aguinaga said, “I think the idea of arming teachers is very unwise. I do not believe adding more guns makes people safer.”
It seems most students and staff are firmly against arming teachers with firearms, and we shouldn’t expect to see that at Loy Norrix now, or anytime in the future.
