President Trump, as we know, has endorsed the arming of specially trained teachers to help prevent mass shootings such as the one at Parkland High School. No surprise that Florida Senate President Joe Negron and a number of his colleagues are among those in agreement. As in, “See, we’re doing something. Our kids are worth it.”
Among those most notably in disagreement–most school administrators, most teachers, most law enforcement officials, most parents and most kids.
As a former teacher, I can identify.
The law of unintended consequences will always be enforced. Whether it’s an armed teacher mistaken for a shooter. Whether the armed teacher errantly shoots a non-shooter. Whether the armed teacher’s gun falls into the hands of a student. There’s a reason why law enforcement–whether it’s a school or a baggage claim area or a concert–doesn’t buy the rationale of more “good guy” shooters to the rescue. Chaos isn’t very self-sorting.
“That scares me,” acknowledges Mike Grego, Pinellas County’s superintendent of schools. “And it should scare parents too, because that’s not what teachers signed up for.”
We go instead with the professionals who have been specifically trained to accept risk and signed up to protect the public–yes, even in Broward County.