Texas school district OKs pistols for staff

Texas school district OKs pistols for staff

www.dallasnews.com

Associated Press

HARROLD, Texas - A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to allow teachers and staff to pack guns for protection when classes begin later this month, a newspaper reported.

Harrold, Texas Trustees at the Harrold Independent School District approved a district policy change last October so employees can carry concealed firearms to deter and protect against school shootings, provided the gun-toting teachers follow certain requirements.

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Well this should be interesting. I am all for the right to bear arms, but I think this is going to turn out badly. Why not just hire armed off-duty police officers if the school is that afraid of school violence from students. Now we have to worry about some wacko teacher going off the deep end and shooting children too? Let's face it, most teachers are already stressed beyond measure, and I am sure that for the most part they are not trained on how to handle a volatile situation that involves life or death.
As a parent I would fear for my childs safety kowing that my child was around that many people armed with guns. I'm not saying that there aren't some who could handle a situation, but how can we know for sure.
Like I said, if there is a problem in the school then properly staff the building with trained gaurds or police officers.
The government already thinks that they can raise our children better than we can so then they should also make sure that they are safe in school.

www.dallasnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 16-8-2008 by Daz3d-n-Confus3d]

I don't see a problem with this at all. I am thinking of the case where some moron came into a school where his wife (or maybe it was his GF) taught and opened fire then turned the gun on himself (can't remember where this happened but it was in the last couple of years).

This situation could have turned out much better had the teacher been armed. One shot to the heart or head and he would have not only gotten his wish, but the lives of innocents would have been spared.

I would feel comfortable (in fact MORE comfortable) if I knew that the teachers at my sons' school were equipped to handle a case of a retard who feels the need to play god.

2nd ammendment gives them the right to arm themselves against these thugs anyway. I support it. Not OFTEN do we hear of teachers walking in and using kids as target practice.

I suppose if it is a concern for the parents of the kiddos, they can always pull them out and homeschool them or send them to private school.

Don't mess with Texas!

Originally posted by justamomma

This situation could have turned out much better had the teacher been armed. One shot to the heart or head and he would have not only gotten his wish, but the lives of innocents would have been spared.

You don't think it would turn out better if nobody was armed, then?

reply to post by justamomma


The 2nd ammendment does not give anyone the right to carry firearms wherever they please. I carry a handgun myself so I am not against the right to carry, but you still have to draw lines. Like I said before, this is a law enforcement job and needs to be handled as such. Now if these gun toting teachers were to go through training like a trained officer where you learn how to handle situations where this might come in to play that would be something to consider. I think they should also go through a mental eveluation to be sure they are capable of making the right decision in such a situation also.
It is such a shame that we have come to a point in this world that our kids have to go to school and worry about being shot. If we really want to fix the problem we have to start with the government and work our way down. We as parents need to teach our kids right from wrong and be firm in that. There is no reason why my kids shouldn't be able to go to school and worry about anything other than their lessons and what is for lunch that day.
I truly see your point in this but I have thought this through and I am afraid when weighing out the positive and negative outcomes this is a bad idea. We had a teacher arrested in the parking lot of the elementary school last year for dealing coc aine in her off time. Now how would you feel about her carry a 9mm glock in her purse to class?

reply to post by Daz3d-n-Confus3d


Good points. It's not like teachers are trained to deal with situations like this (or paid too, frankly).

I consider myself so damn lucky to have grown up without a care in the world!

reply to post by justamomma


You are obviously a Republican. I deduced this not because of your adamant support of the 2nd amendment, I too support the right to bear arms and am a democrat. It is the last paragraph in your post that is so telling. It is people like you who would also say, "if you don't like the way this country is being run, then leave." What you don't realize is how completely un-American statements like that are. America was founded by people who did not like the way their communities were being run. But instead of leaving, they stood up for what they believed in, earned support for their beliefs, and brought about change. Instead of thinking that people who don't like the policies at their school should just leave, you should advocate that those people hold PTA meetings to express their warranted concerns and try to change the policy. That is what being a real American is all about.

OUTSTANDING!

Finally this is the type of proactive decision making that will save lives.

Its policy's like this that WOULD HAVE PREVENTED 911...allowing pilots and private LICENSED individuals to bear arms (In planes they would be required to prove they have frangible ammunition which is solid enough to penetrate human flesh but not the skin of an aircraft).

Its policy's like this that would have prevented the carnage at our schools with random gunmen killing students.

And for those detractors too naive and close minded to understand that a licensed and trained individual more often than not fires their guns MORE in training at the range than police officers. Where I live it is only mandatory that a Police officer shoot 25 practice rounds in a year. Thats roughly 2 and 1/2 clips...trust me that not even close to enough to maintain any type of real shooting ability.

I commend Texas for using common sense and understanding the mantra that spoon fed idiots like socialist liberals whom just cant understand that if you outlaw guns, only CRIMINALS will have guns.

I look forward to hearing how a teacher will have saved countless lies by abiding by this new law.

Originally posted by C.C.Benjamin

Originally posted by justamomma

This situation could have turned out much better had the teacher been armed. One shot to the heart or head and he would have not only gotten his wish, but the lives of innocents would have been spared.

You don't think it would turn out better if nobody was armed, then?

Sure, but that will only happen in your little rainbow filled fantasy world. Someone is gonna be armed, so why not everyone? Quit dreaming and wake up to the reality of our world already. It isn't getting any better despite all the hippy morons who believe that peace comes from silent happy thoughts.

If someone has the means to kill, I want the right to the means to defend myself and support others having that right as well.

This is a terrible idea. I too think it would be much better for already cash strapped schools to hire some Rambo styled off duty cops. After all, we all know how affordable it is to 'rent a cop'.

The school will be much safer with a few cops. Think of it, a 10,000 sq ft school guarded by two or three cops - a total coverage situation. An intruder would be hard pressed to penetrate this daunting defense.

Teachers don't care about kids and are often caught beating them, shooting them and electrocuting them. It would be much more prudent to let peaceful even tempered police officers manage this situation. And you know what, if two or three cops isn't enough then I say we put a peace loving cop on every corner of every hallway. I can hear the test scores going up already.

Don't yall remember the Virgina Tech shootings? They had cops on the scene there and that turned out perfectly. It would have been a complete tragedy if some teachers or students had a gun. Such situations simply are not safe. Regular people handing guns in daily life is not safe. All the stories you've heard of 'days gone by' where everyone and their mom had a piece are nothing more than fabrications.

If you've made it this far without having an aneurysm yet please know that I'm joking in an attempt to point out many of the flaws with relying on COPS (aka The State) to secure schools.

I'm very much in favor of teachers having guns however there should be very very very strict rules and psychological testing in place. Perhaps some sort of special box in the classroom to hold the gun which when accessed sets of a huge alarm, calls 911 and deploys ninjas from the ceiling.

If the state is involved in any way I'd like to see them subsidize the purchasing of the H&K MP5 K as it should handle any school shooting situation without haste.

9mm @ 900 rounds per minute



[edit on 16-8-2008 by LoveKnowledge]

reply to post by Daz3d-n-Confus3d


Whats to keep a stressed out cop from going nuts, pulling out his duty gun, and exploding every head in sight?

Why do you give so much credit to cops? They aren't super human ya know.

Originally posted by Daz3d-n-Confus3d
dealing coc aine in her off time. Now how would you feel about her carry a 9mm glock in her purse to class?

I'd feel just fine about it. Her business in dealing coc aine doesnt indicate any tendency towards violence whatsoever.

Did you have a point?:

I don't see a problem with this at all.

Oh you dont?

What if a kid simply takes the weapon away from the teacher? They dont even have to get the gun into the school anymore.

A teenager can easily kick a teacher down and take his weapon.

Having guns around kids... sigh. United States is becoming a third world country.


[edit on 16-8-2008 by Copernicus]

Originally posted by C.C.Benjamin

Originally posted by justamomma

This situation could have turned out much better had the teacher been armed. One shot to the heart or head and he would have not only gotten his wish, but the lives of innocents would have been spared.

You don't think it would turn out better if nobody was armed, then?

Lol...... Criminals and nuts will always be able to get their hands on guns.. And if they are not able to Buy/steal one they will use something else or MAKE one. Its easy as hell to Make a zip gun among other weapons. I could put together a zip gun in 15-20 min max.

The only answer is to arm EVERYONE.. And properly teaching everyone gun safety

"A armed society is a polite society" Robert A. Heinlein

[edit on 16-8-2008 by wolfmanjack]

Originally posted by Copernicus
What if a kid simply takes the weapon away from the teacher?

What if we simply make a way so they can't. Fool proof your logic is not.

reply to post by LoveKnowledge


You sound like the stupid muslim chick I saw on CNN who has a bullet that still remains lodged in her brain from the VA Tech shootings. REally screwed up her logical thinking cuz she was spewing out some vomit about how she was GLAD she didn't have a gun or she might have ended up dead instead of merely having a bullet pierce a hole through her skull .... what an idiot, huh? YOu aren't her are yoU?

How in the hell does this make sense? If she had a gun, she could have shot the bastard, thus not only sparing herself of having her brain used as target practice but saving the lives of all the others who were injured or worse killed.

Having a gun makes it a level 'playing field'. NOt having a gun in the middle of a mad man's rampage will only insure that if he points that gun at you, you at the very least will have a hole placed in some area of your body.

The only answer is to arm EVERYONE.. And properly teaching everyone gun safety

This will lead to much, much more murders. Any conflict between people that escalates will lead to a gun battle.

Great idea, Einstein.

If you take a look at other countries who have managed to handle crime successfully (US has failed completely), you will notice how this was done without more weapons. It was done by creating less criminals by having a more humane society for everybody.

Its not like people get born to become criminals you know.

Originally posted by LoveKnowledge

Originally posted by Copernicus
What if a kid simply takes the weapon away from the teacher?

What if we simply make a way so they can't. Fool proof your logic is not.

What do you suggest, letting teachers teach from within cages?


[edit on 16-8-2008 by Copernicus]

EVERYONE was armed in America at one time...it was called the wild west.

But you know what, people we're much more polite and problems we're solved quite quickly and with minimal burden on the court system.