BY WALTER CANADY III

After the horrific school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida last month there has been a lot of deliberation on the possible remedy to these incidents. One of the things that had been brought up to offer more safety to schools was arming teachers.

Most did not agree with the suggestion, saying that more guns would not solve the gun problems.  Especially after the most recent incident in Georgia, where a teacher with a gun barricaded himself in his classroom and let off shots. Not hurting anyone in this case but definitely riled fear and even more concern for the idea of teachers having a gun.

It’s unfortunate, but we have to now look at the schools almost like the everyday streets. You are either the shooter or the shot, the hunter or the hunted. Not to suggest this type of severity is the everyday feeling, but you never really know when you will become the victim. It is at the point where for some people, like myself, are going to school a feeling for the need to protect themselves may be becoming more urgent, maybe more than ever.  

A lot of individuals though would argue that they don’t trust themselves with a firearm let alone a teacher. Also what would be the new risk with there always being a firearm in a school? Could that be students trying to get to teachers gun while in school? Could that mean risks of teachers not being able to handle the responsibility of having one? The next question would be what teacher would you trust if we were to allow that in our district?  In my contemporary issues class with Mr. Briggs the same question was asked and some common names that were brought up were Mr. Sapp, and Mr. Penner.

I asked Mr.Sapp if this type of thing was enforced in our districts,  would he be willing to take a position like that at our school.

He said “I would have to pray on that extensively, have extensive training opportunity provided, clear-cut definitive guidelines as to expectations and responsibilities (as I did in my other professions), and full support from the school and community from top to bottom. After all that, maybe a consideration would be made.”  

What teacher would you trust with this responsibility, if any? If no one, what would be an alternative to the protection of our school for you?