# 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:** 8\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/121 "2015-11-10T20:37:22Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I would agree, and mention again that during the robbery of a local restaurant by four guys, the cc people who were present all independently decided that they should take no action. The classes I have taken generally tell you to avoid drawing your gun unless they start corralling you all to the back room where they might execute you. > [@](#): > > Is marksmanship all that was required to qualify? bad marksmanship = collateral damage. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/122 "2015-11-10T20:38:27Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Have these same schools also declared that _only_ teachers and staff shall be armed on campus? If not, how are the “whackjobs” identified before it becomes too late to avoid a shooting confrontation? Yeah, only teachers and staff. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/123 "2015-11-10T20:44:02Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > That is the policy tradeoff. Some states have determined the tradeoff is worthwhile, others have not. I agree its a YMMV sort of situation. > [@](#): > > Getting buzzed into school is not the norm at any school I’ve ever seen in my area and I have school aged children. Getting onto campus is ridiculously easy. I can drive into the parking lot. I have to get buzzed into the building. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/124 "2015-11-10T20:51:52Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > You got it. You can’t shoot someone for carrying a weapon. You can only shoot someone for threatening your life or others’ lives with it. This is basic. > > I can’t believe all the posts I’m seeing that essentially say “if everyone can carry a gun, how will we know who to shoot??” The same way you know who to punch when everyone around you has fists. In general, no one. Occasionally, one may threaten you, and you neutralize the threat. Preferably without violence, but with lethal force if the situation calls for it. Thank you. Mainly, I wanted to get away from the “react if the whackjob does something whacky” talk. I makes it sound like the shooter is going to give her/himself away by doing something unusual or strange before commencing with the shooting, when in reality the shooter is going to give her/himself away _by shooting people_. ---
**Author:** ![Rokai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Rokai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rokai)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/125 "2015-11-14T23:33:26Z")
> [@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.” I do believe US citizens not just teachers or security guards should think about carry a concealed gun. I do agree with Trump that if the teachers or the students had been carrying a concealed gun they would have been a lot better off. These are dark times we have terrorist threats all the time and random shootings. I think if it came to where the average American citizen had a concealed gun these shootings would be less attempted because then the average citizen will be a threat to anybody that’s trying to commit a crime not just the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/126 "2015-11-14T23:55:10Z")
Well put. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/127 "2015-11-19T01:38:17Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > This is the attitude that I don’t get. You’re essentially saying that because in many cases – maybe even most – the armed citizen wouldn’t stop the massacre, we shouldn’t allow people to even try to defend themselves. The reason for that is you dramatically increase the chance of an accidental shooting due to carelessness or bad judgment in exchange for possibly slightly decreasing the chance of a relatively rare event. ---
**Author:** ![ChickenLegs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@ChickenLegs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChickenLegs)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714/128 "2015-11-19T02:28:28Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > The reason for that is you dramatically increase the chance of an accidental shooting due to carelessness or bad judgment in exchange for possibly slightly decreasing the chance of a relatively rare event. Guns are ineffective weapons for self defense. Friendly fire is just too risky. Everybody knows this. Which is why police and soldiers never carry guns. Which is also why, if you find yourself in a mass shooting situation while carrying a concealed weapon, and someone says “PLEASE SAVE ME! SHOOT HIM!”, the correct response is “Sorry. I’d rather not dramatically increase the chance of an accidental shooting. Your death is acceptable, however, as it will be intentional.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arming-teachers-with-guns/736714.md?page=6)