# Arming teachers with guns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 5, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714 "2015-11-05T14:56:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Angel\_Torres\_Sosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/da6949/32.png) [@Angel\_Torres\_Sosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_Torres_Sosa)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/1 "2015-11-05T14:56:58Z")
How do you feel about what Donald Trump said in regards to the recent shooting at the university? His idea of arming our teachers and/or security guards with guns to prevent another school shooting got different reactions from the security guards at my school such as; “We need to evacuate rather than fight back.” and “Walking around with guns give us a bad image.” ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/2 "2015-11-05T15:26:32Z")
OK, does he want to pay for continuing training in not only basic firearms usage, but using firearms in life-or-death situations against people who likely already plan to die in a shootout? Because last I checked, it’s hard enough for the normal police to prevent shooters from killing people, so I don’t expect these quasi-police security guards to have any better of a success rate. Increasing the number of police in schools. Another example of conservative nanny-state nonsense, all in the service of political correctness. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/3 "2015-11-05T15:28:17Z")
And the first time a frustrated, overworked, underpaid teacher starts waving their gun around threatening children who are merely misbehaving, would we then have to arm all the students as well? Throwing more guns at the problem is asinine, at best. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/4 "2015-11-05T15:31:14Z")
Is the USA still on the same planet? wtF are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/5 "2015-11-05T16:09:26Z")
Reported for possible forum change. (ISTM like more of a GD topic.) ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/6 "2015-11-05T16:11:26Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Is the USA still on the same planet? > > wtF are you talking about? The USA is. Trump is not. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/7 "2015-11-05T16:19:54Z")
Sounds like a good idea. The kids have guns, shouldn’t the teachers have a fighting chance? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/8 "2015-11-05T16:20:03Z")
It’s all good till some teacher shoots an armed student and panicing students start screaming that a teacher shot a kid and another teacher arrives to take down the rogue teacher. More teachers with more guns arrive and it’ll be like the wild west. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/9 "2015-11-05T17:14:14Z")
Or some absent minded teacher [leaves](http://blogs.rollcall.com/hill-blotter/capitol-police-guns-found-in-problematic-places/) [their](http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/18/16590086-school-security-guard-in-michigan-leaves-gun-in-bathroom-officials-say) [gun](https://www.rt.com/usa/gun-school-bathroom-guard-293/) [in](http://myfox8.com/2015/10/15/5-year-old-girl-finds-sbi-agents-gun-in-north-carolina-restaurants-bathroom/) [the](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRjcP4UvcZw) [bathroom](http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/08/30/160306048/secret-service-agent-left-loaded-handgun-in-bathroom-of-romney-plane), some kid finds it, and someone gets shot. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/10 "2015-11-05T18:10:21Z")
> [@Angel\_Torres\_Sosa](#): > > His idea of arming our teachers and/or security guards with guns to prevent another school shooting got different reactions from the security guards at my school such as; “We need to evacuate rather than fight back.” and “Walking around with guns give us a bad image.” I’m not surprised. AFAIK, in the same way, almost all our police are quite happy not to be routinely armed. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/11 "2015-11-05T18:53:37Z")
My wife is a teacher. Through her, I know a lot of other teachers. I love my wife but frankly, the idea of giving them guns is laughable. They’d be ten times more likely to shoot themselves than an intruder. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/12 "2015-11-05T19:42:28Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > My wife is a teacher. Through her, I know a lot of other teachers. I love my wife but frankly, the idea of giving them guns is laughable. They’d be ten times more likely to shoot themselves than an intruder. Bingo. [Like this?](http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/09/11/utah-teacher-accidently-shoots-self-in-leg-at-school/) [Or this?](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/idaho-state-university-teacher-accidentally-shoots-self-in-class/) Teachers have enough going on every moment of the school day. We don’t need to add training them how to use a handgun. I don’t mean “here’s you go, have a gun.” If we need more people like professional security guards in our schools, get real ones. _Teachers have enough shit to deal with_. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/13 "2015-11-05T19:46:21Z")
Teachers yes, but for G-d’s sake, not the Lunch Lady! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/14 "2015-11-05T19:52:11Z")
> [@Angel\_Torres\_Sosa](#): > > How do you feel about what Donald Trump said in regards to the recent shooting at the university? His idea of arming our teachers and/or security guards with guns to prevent another school shooting got different reactions from the security guards at my school such as; “We need to evacuate rather than fight back.” and “Walking around with guns give us a bad image.” No, Trump is either an idiot, or he panders to idiots. Which for all intents and purposes is the same thing. The idea of untrained armed civilians heroically stopping shooting rampages or other crimes is largely disproven as right wing fantasy by both actual statistics and common sense. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/15 "2015-11-05T19:59:55Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Teachers yes, but for G-d’s sake, not the Lunch Lady! Lunch Lady Land is terrifying enough as it is. Electric Ladyland, on the other hand… uh… still shouldn’t have guns. I mean, have you ever _been_ there? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/16 "2015-11-05T20:06:07Z")
Off to Great Debates. It’ll be happier there. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/17 "2015-11-05T20:11:53Z")
> [@Angel\_Torres\_Sosa](#): > > How do you feel about what Donald Trump said in regards to the recent shooting at the university? His idea of arming our teachers and/or security guards with guns to prevent another school shooting got different reactions from the security guards at my school such as; “We need to evacuate rather than fight back.” and “Walking around with guns give us a bad image.” There is a difference between forcing teachers to be armed and all the requisite cost and training, and allowing those who wish to undertake whatever training and certification process exists to do so and carry while on school grounds. Which do you think Trump suggested? Which are you describing? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/18 "2015-11-05T20:23:36Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > There is a difference between forcing teachers to be armed and all the requisite cost and training, and allowing those who wish to undertake whatever training and certification process exists to do so and carry while on school grounds. In terms of respecting teachers’ autonomy and judgement, as well as in cost and bureaucratic hassle, there certainly is a significant difference between those two policies. In terms of effectively increasing school safety, and in particular protecting students and teachers against deliberately planned spree killings on school grounds, there doesn’t seem to be much difference at all. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/19 "2015-11-05T20:25:15Z")
Seriously, it is pretty scary to thing of folks who can’t add toner to their printer using a firearm. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/20 "2015-11-05T20:29:02Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > In terms of respecting teachers’ autonomy and judgement, as well as in cost and bureaucratic hassle, there certainly is a significant difference between those two policies. > > In terms of effectively increasing school safety, and in particular protecting students and teachers against deliberately planned spree killings on school grounds, there doesn’t seem to be much difference at all. Are you saying that armed citizens who are teachers would have no ability to protect students against planned spree killings? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714.md?page=2)