Ugh. I don’t usually like to talk politics on social media or in my blog. But, since I have been an early education administrator, I feel the need to at least say something about the subject. I promise not to go all bat shit crazy on the topic.
First, let me say that I think everyone, including our president, is really trying to figure out what we can do to make our children feel safe in schools. So when our president suggested arming teachers, I spit my coffee all over the dog laying beside me on the floor. The dog is fine, but now he’s afraid of coffee cups.
I think it’s a terrible idea. Why? Well, I know teachers I wouldn’t trust with a glue gun much less a real one. No offense to teachers but no, no way, nope. Teachers have enough to do and worry about and adding guns to the mix is insanity. Teachers don’t just teach anymore. They now are counselors, mediators, disciplinarians etc,. They buy their own supplies on their small salaries, they bring food for kids who may not have anything, buy them books to read if there are none at home, break-up fights, deal with kids who do not want to learn or even be in school. They also deal with children who don’t know most or any of the English language. They help children with social skills not taught at home and listen to problems and try to help kids solve them. On top of trying to just teach them course work!
Adding a gun to the room is dangerous. Even a trained teacher may waiver when in a situation where they might have to shoot. And where do you put it in the classroom? I hear stories all the time of students stealing stuff out of a teacher’s desk, closet etc. These teachers are already stressed out, we can’t add guns.
I’m not here to discuss gun control or anything else. I just know teachers have enough on their plate and really don’t need to be armed. But I also don’t have the answers. We have gun laws on the books that aren’t being enforced now. And anyone wanting to shoot up a school is not really interested in laws of any kind. I hear people say that if we get rid of certain guns then these people wont be able to kill as many people as say an automatic gun can. Isn’t just one dead kid by a gun already too many?
What about mental health? Where to even begin with that? But we need to do something. Kids are dying in schools, colleges and adults are killed in these situation as well as in work places etc. I could keep going but I’m getting depressed.
While everyone is fighting over what to do, One thing I see that we can fix is for everyone to sit down and shut up. Too many people just want to provoke each other in gun debates and are using shootings to do just that. That’s not solving anything. The problems lie much deeper than school shootings. Much deeper. So when someone has brilliant idea, like arming teachers, I add that to the list of reasons why I drink.
Feel free to add your opinions in the comment section. Just don’t jump on others for their opinions. We all have them.
