Mass shootings in public spaces have garnered laser-like media attention over the years, prompting gun control advocates to double down on their calls for restricting Second Amendment rights.
With President Donald Trump’s suggestion that concealed guns should be allowed in schools, this subject has produced heated debates as many people feel that it might not be a practical way to create a safe environment. While some people feel that new rules making it hard to purchase firearms should be set up, others feel that more guns in schools, handled by trained teachers would provide a sense of security to the children.
Many people subscribe to the notion that more guns equal higher cases of violence. This is, however, not the case, as violent felonies decreased over the past 40 years despite gun ownership increasing. This goes to show that this anti-gun ideology is not rational. The opinion that guns are nasty and promote crimes should not deter any responsible person from carrying them.
Schools have become very vulnerable to attacks from psychotics, and they will remain so if nothing is done. Never has there been a case where these shooters go and spray bullets on police departments or artillery warehouses. Why is this? Could it be because they view schools as low-risk targets? This is the most sensible argument, as in the former scenario armed people are bound to shoot back. It only makes sense, therefore, that teachers and staff members be trained and allowed to carry concealed guns to the institutions they serve.
Different states continue grappling with this idea, Florida included, where 17 school shooting victims are still being mourned. ABC News/Washington released a poll this week in which 42 % of the American population suggest that if teachers had guns, the Florida shooting might have been prevented, or it might not have been as grave as it was.
Children in schools cannot always rely on police protection. Different regions have different police response times. Research shows that the average response time is 11 minutes, and some take even longer than that. There is little that the police can do at that point apart from apprehending the offender. If teachers had guns, they would be able to defend the children and not run away, as President Trump put it when describing the actions of Aaron Feis, the assistant football coach, who he said “was very brave” during the Florida shooting.
Regardless of laws enforced to inhibit access to weapons, the criminal element is always present in the society. Anti-gun activists might argue that concealed guns endorse their availability consequently facilitating crimes. However, this is not the case as a criminal is already in possession of a firearm and is prepared to use it irrespective of the legality. As such, prohibiting the carrying of concealed guns to schools only makes them more defenseless.
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that schools are safe havens for students, not places where they feel exposed and susceptible to any psychotic criminal. Recent happenings have nevertheless shown that the government needs the help of its citizens and more, so teachers and staff members to expedite this defense. It only, therefore, makes sense to allow concealed guns into schools.
~ Patriotic Freedom Fighter
