The issue of whether teachers should be allowed to carry guns in schools is not going away anytime soon in Colorado.
On Saturday, more than 400 educators — two-thirds of them women — from throughout the region will gather at the Centennial Gun Club for a free conceal-carry class, the largest one-day training session ever in Colorado, organizers say.
While politicians are reluctant to announce any bills before the legislative session begins in January, it is expected that a measure or two that could allow teachers to carry guns in school will be introduced.
This past session, a bill that would have left it up to school districts to decide the issue was killed by Democrats in committee. A similar proposal was defeated the year before.
“I think it is definitely a political topic, and certainly the folks on the Second Amendment side of the issue strongly believe it’s a potential deterrent,” political analyst Floyd Ciruli said of guns in schools. “I can’t imagine they won’t introduce it.”
Paul Stanley, manager of Centennial Gun Club, said the class was a response to ongoing school shootings and other places that have been deemed gun-free zones
Author: Mile High Mamas
Leta
It should be mandatory in Colorado to allow teachers and school staff to carry a firearm on school grounds. You can’t stop an active shooter with words and goo
Denise
If you are going to own a gun, you should be trained in how to use it. If your job requires you to carry, they should pay for the training.
Chara
All teachers should know how to protect themselves and their students (jmo)
Rosa
What happens when a student gets a hold of their firearm? It can happen.
Meg
So who pays the additional public liability insurance, who makes sure those carrying are psychologically stable, who pays for the monthly training and live fire fof training?
WG
I would rather risk the one in a million chance that I will have to confront a shooter and not lug around a gun. It would get in the way of my job as a teacher. Relationships with students are the number one tool in reaching children. I would never want the distraction of a side arm. We have an officer in the building. That and other systemic facets of running a school (ie counselors, collegiality, communication, mutual support, etc etc) are our protection. The point is that there are a whole lot of solutions to any given problem…. and they rarely involve guns. p.s. The NRA and gun corp. pump fear and their solutions so they can sell guns… its simple and it works. pss.. I am a gun owner.
Stephanie
CO was the first state (although sadly far from the first or last) where gun violence at school gained massive media attention aka Columbine. As a state we have the outlet to do something about it. Yes, it’s distasteful to give your children’s teachers authorization to carry on school grounds. Until the snowstorm in hell’s chance that it’s necessary.