As loony as that idea might seem to some, Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder, "will introduce legislation to arm [Minnesota] teachers after [the Newtown] school shootings."
"It's something that we have to face that all of the laws in the world sometimes aren't just going to work," Cornish said, according to an MPR report. "The cop can't be everywhere so the best person to defend yourself is yourself."
Last session, Cornish authored the Defense of Dwelling and Person Act that was approved by the MNGOP-controlled legislature but ultimately vetoed by Gov. Dayton. But while he's known as a staunch advocate of gun rights, his decision to push a bill arming teachers is still a bit surprising.
During an interview with Chad Hartman last month, Cornish was asked whether he'd reintroduce to the Defense of Dwelling Act in 2013. He said there was "zero" chance.
"It's dead on arrival," Cornish said, alluding to the gun-unfriendly DFL majorities in both chambers. "I'm not going to spin my wheels when I know something isn't going to come to fruition."
You would think the same logic would apply with regard to Cornish's Armed Defense of Classrooms idea, as earlier in the day yesterday Dayton said arming teachers "defies common sense."
"You just increase the danger," Dayton said, according to a Star Tribune report.
But even though he'd likely veto a guns-in-the-classroom bill, Dayton made clear he believes Minnesotans have the right to bear arms.
"My reading of the constitution is that it provides a complete permission for any law abiding citizen to possess firearms, whichever ones he or she chooses, and the ammunition to go with that," Dayton said. "There's a limit on what society can do to protect people from their own follies."
Arming a teacher... that's a little to extreme.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for protecting children, but to me it's like giving a civilian a gun during a time of war.
They'll most likely to shoot themselves or shoot anybody they "think" are suspicious. Sometimes a teacher can be unstable too. No one just knows it, and if that teacher gets pushed far enough, they'll go on a killing spree or shoot themselves in front of the students. Arming a teacher is too rash and too risky.
People will just have too accept that everything happens for a reason even if they do not like it.
P:3
P. Kevin Bouphasavanh
I think that is just stupid for someone to do that....it is just like saying that i could have a gun and start shooting people and not get in trouble.It just isn't fair to do that to children and teachers!!!!!!!People shouldn't have guns unless they have a good reason for having a gun.Teachers shouldn't have guns in the school because they could do something bad like this situation.If a teacher gets mad they could shoot the child and then their parents could get mad and sue for the teacher shooting their child.Life just doesn't make any sense for people to do that.I'm against this because people should only have guns at their house not at school that's why people are SOOOOO crazy these days.
ReplyDeletechelsey jensen p7.
I am alright with them letting teachers have people out there who will attack anytime. I mean there's no such thing as being too safe. The teachers should probably know how to use a gun. So I'm thinking they shouldn't pass that law. I guess I'm neutral on this one.
ReplyDeleteDavid Hoang p3
I think that it is not a good idea for teacher to have guns with them in school.If teachers had guns the children might pick the guns up get hurt.If teachers did not take a gun training they might accidentally hurt people.
ReplyDeleteAshleyotto p2
Oh yes, great idea! Now we have lots of guns all around! That'll make the school easy to secure in a crisis situation! In a school, its pretty easy to identify the shooter- its the guy with the gun. If the teachers have guns too, its going to be extremely easy for nervous law enforcement to accidentally shoot a teacher that they misidentified as the gunman. All of these calls for gun regulation or deregulation miss the fact that this was a mental health issue. A person like Adam Lanza should never have had access to a weapon of any sort. But hey, looking into that would require a real solution- lets just blame gun regulations or the lack of them, depending on political views.
ReplyDeleteAndrew H. Period 3
I honestly think that teachers bearing guns in school is too restricting and harmful to students, and it would only enable more hazards in school. Not all of the amazingly knowledgeable teachers out there are sane. If anything were to be done about this issue, I believe we should increase the closed campus policy in school so individuals with weapons don't enter there school. Maybe increasing police in schools would help, just not arming teachers. I think finding ways for teachers to reach out to the mentally impaired would be the more pressing need.
ReplyDeleteJonas Fisher, P2:
The idea of arming teachers is quite ridiculous to me. I can see where people can think this is a good idea, they just want to protect the students. But really, what kind of effect will this have on the kids? The classroom environment would seem hostile with guns present, students might feel restricted and intimidated by it. I think that the guns would be harmful to the students' learing. There is a place for guns, but school is not it.
ReplyDeleteBridget Erickson p7
okay we got over 70+ teachers in our school. So that would mean 70+ guns= Trouble. If we do the math right. Would you want Mr. Sage (Sorry sage) have a gun? No thank you. If that happens, I won't be killing anymore spiders in Mr sage's class anymore. I think we're thinking about this all wrong. First off; they would be trouble when teachers having guns. One of those reason are. What happen if I got bullied and get mad and knock out a teacher and takes his gun and short the school up. Or a crazy kid goes crazy and takes a teachers gun. There is more deaths. What happens when there is a threat and a teacher try be a hero but is all sweaty and sees someone run down the hall and he starts open firing. And that someone was a kid and that kid dies.. No we're thinking about this all wrong.
ReplyDeleteTappe's idea
I think all schools teachers should have peper spray and taser guns to protect the child form harm.
Tappe P7th
What if they had a locked cabinet or something like that for the guns? Teachers would be required to take a firearms safety course, naturally. And they could keep something less lethal like pepper spray or a taser somewhere more readily accessible, like a desk or unlocked cabinet. That way we could be protected without providing a hostile environment for the students... I don't know. Just an idea.
ReplyDeleteAbby Johnson
Period 3
I don't think teachers should have guns in school. It would cost a lot of extra money to get all the teachers guns and then they would have to be taught firearm saftey.
ReplyDeleteGuinevere Henrikson. p:2
I think giving teachers guns is a horrible idea. That would create more tension in school, which definitely isn't needed. Knowing your teacher had a gun would effect the student's learning. School should feel safe and comfortable, adding guns to the scene wouldn't help. There are more logical ways to protects schools, such as more police around. I'm not saying that guns are a bad thing, but giving them to administrators is a big no-no.
ReplyDeleteMadison Gouet
Period 3
I'm both ways on this. I agree that we should have some sort of weapon to protect the children and adults in case something happens like this. The children will think they are safe and won't have to worry about an intruder. I also disagree that this is a wrong idea like what if a child gets a hold of a gun or any other weapon. A younger child won't know how to use it and might kill another person. It would be hard to imagine some teachers having guns in the classroom. But the safety is for the kids and even the teachers.
ReplyDeleteMcKenna Butler
Period 2
I don't think arming teachers or having armed guards at schools is that "loony" of an idea. The school in Harrold Texas has armed teachers with their Guardian Plan. Under it have to have a concealed carry permit, go through extra accuracy training and the school board must approve each person that wishes to have a handgun. Also the bullets they use must be frangible (break apart on impact). People that go on these school shootings are cowards and I think just the thought of having someone at a school with a gun will stop most of these shootings.
ReplyDeleteKeegan O'Donnell p:3
I feel that not only would the teachers mis-use their authority carrying a firearm, but it would effect the student's learning. School is meant to have a safe and comfortable environment. It would cost a great deal of trouble trying to get all the teachers firearms and training them to properly use it. It would also be troublesome trying to keep the firearms from the student's reach. Some students may also feel they have the right to carry a firearm if their teacher does, causing a lot of tension. In general it wasn't a half bad idea, but looking into it, it would cause more trouble then it would save.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Runnels
Period 3 Grade 10
i think arming teachers would not be a bad idea. One reason i think that is because if a teacher has a gun you probably dont want to make the teacher mad. It would help get the students to try to learn more. Also it would be nice if an intruder came into the building becasue you will be able to protect your students fronm harm.
ReplyDeleteGarrett Rasmusson P7
I think it would be pointless for teachers to have firearms. If teacher were alowwed to carry guns who says that someone wouldn't get ahold if it. That would just allow students access to a firearm that they wouldn't normally have. Then what would happen? I just don't feel like that would be a smart choice.
ReplyDelete3rd hour.
I believe that allowing teachers to have guns in school would create a stressful environment. Students would be in fear of what a teacher could do and it could effect learning in the classroom. Also if an incident did occur where a teacher would need to use a gun at school, there are many scenarios were it could go very wrong. Teachers would have to be trained how to use them, and even then it would still be dangerous. I think we should try to keep guns out of school, and find other ways to make school safer for everyone.
ReplyDeleteSydney Mosher P2
Picture this scenerio:
ReplyDeleteA gunman busts through a locked door of a classroom. He looks around and sees the kids huddling under the designated desks. It's just them, then the wall. What do you think he will do next? Fire?
If the teacher had a gun, then the teacher and the gunman are now equals. So if the teacher stands his/her ground, perhaps the scenerio would have a "prettier" ending.
I'm all for giving teachers guns. Just with the correct psychological background checks.
In fact, I would feel much more safe.
I think that arming teachers with guns could be both good and bad. The teachers might feel a sense of safety if they have the right to guns in the classroom. If something were to happen then the teachers would be able to protect not only themselves but their students. I think with gun training it wouldn't be a very bad idea. Although, having guns in school could intimidate the children. It might scare the students just as much as an intruder with a gun or other weapons. It could be a good idea ti give teachers weapons but mabe something less extreme. Like Mr. Sage and his bat. I guess I'm neutral on the subject.
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
Skylar Solberg