Would Arming Teachers Make Schools Safer?

Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Date Would Arming Teachers Make Schools Safer? The prevalence of gun violence in the US continues to elicit contentious debate regarding gun ownership and gun laws. The mass shootings experienced in various schools across the United States are particularly disturbing with increasing calls for the enactment of strict gun control measures. Those opposing strict gun laws propose putting firearms in the hands of teachers and other school staff as a measure to counter active shooters. Where addressing gun violence in schools ought to be a prime priority, arming teachers will create safety crisis in schools, resulting in multiple gun-related accidents, fatalities and heightened fear. Arming teachers and other school staff circumvents the crisis at hand and creates a new crisis in schools. According to Mary Kusler, a senior director at the Center for Advocacy, National Education Association (NEA), arming teachers will not only increase firearm sales for gun manufacturers, but also make schools and students more unsafe than before. Additionally, she adds that the idea has been opposed by students, parents, the law enforcement officers, and educators (CQ Researcher 649). Kusler argues that the role of educators is to teach and not to provide security, with 66% of educators saying that they would feel less safe if school personnel were allowed to carry firearms. Besides, the majority of the law enforcement officers oppose the proposed solution since teachers lack expertise in handling weapons and do not train regularly. Additionally, the proposal means that more weapons will be available in the confines of school exposing students, educators and other school staff to accidents which can be fatal and increased fear in schools. Kusler cites the research conducted by the NEA that found out that nearly three-quarters of educators believed arm...