Discussion about arming K-12 teachers creates debate among San Marcos residents

Cheyenne Wells
ccw84@txstate.edu

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The recent school shootings have created a debate among many people as to whether we should be arming teachers in the classrooms.

Indigo Curington
Photo by: Alyssa Pierce 

According to CNBC, there have been 17 school shootings so far in 2018. The most recent shooting in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead has been the main generator for the debate over arming teachers the past month. President Trump has expressed his support for arming teachers in hopes that teachers would create more of a deterrent, but the issue is not clear cut. There is also debate about what kind of training they will receive and who will pay for it.

Indigo Curington, a Texas State University student, substitute teacher and gun owner, said arming teachers is a bad idea and that the classroom is not the proper environment for guns.

“I know gun safety and I know how to operate one, but when you add more people in the mix and when you add children in the mix it just makes it have too many uncontrollable variables,” said Curington.

Curington also thinks another way to prevent school shootings is to create easier access to mental health counseling. 

“I think having more access to mental health help and counseling and … early intervention programs and have it be easier to go get help if you need it. I would rather see them go towards that than getting [guns] for all the teachers,” said Curington.

According to NPR, there is no direct correlation between mental health and criminal behavior. NPR also reported people struggling with mental health issues are more likely to be victims than perpetrators, but one in five K-12 students in the U.S. have mental health problems.

Otto Glenewinkel
Photo by: Dymond Sam

Otto Glenewinkel, a Texas State University police officer and gun owner, is also against arming teachers in the classrooms because he believes teachers already have enough to worry about.

“I think it’s a bad idea because teachers have enough stuff to do with teaching and I don’t think they need to be worrying about keeping the school safe,” said Glenewinkel.

Blake Mitchell
Photo by: Kathryn Willis

Blake Mitchell, a Texas State University student, said only teachers who have been trained to handle a gun should be allowed to carry one in school and it should only be an option not a requirement.

“I think that it’s a good idea, but you can’t just arm random teachers with guns. A lot of schools don’t have security guards or teachers that are trained in gun safety. They shouldn’t be going around chasing school shooters. Some teachers should be armed, but only with training. They should have issued weapons by the state,” said Mitchell.

Jayla Dunbar
Photo by: Dymond Sam

Jayla Dunbar, a Texas State student, said she is against teachers having guns in the classroom, but she agrees that some staff members should be armed on campus, and it should be unknown as to who is armed.

“I would not be for it just because I don’t feel like anyone should have a gun, and plus if there’s a gun in the classrooms someone else could get control of it, so you never know … I think it should just be a select few … so no one knows they have a gun, because I think when people are aware that’s how more things end up happening,” said Dunbar.

The Department of Education reports the cost of bare minimum training for teachers in the U.S. would be about $71.8 million.  

Danielle Kelly
Photo by: Dymond Sam

Danielle Kelly, a Texas State student, said she doesn’t think more guns are the solution, but is open to her tax money going towards other way to make schools safer.

“I don’t know where taxes go right now, but I would be willing to pay taxes to have safer schools like that,” said Kelly.

Shannon Fitzpatrick, a attorney for students at Texas State, said she is opposed to arming teachers because the purpose of a hand gun is to kill other human beings.

Shannon Fitzpatrick
Photo by: Christopher Green

“I am adamantly opposed to that because the purpose of a handgun is to kill other human beings. Most teachers are not prepared to do that, it’s not their mindset, which is what makes them good school teachers,” said Fitzpatrick.

According to VICE News 14 states already arm teachers and another 16 states give local school boards the authority to decide whether staff can carry guns, but national legislation has not been passed yet.