Arming Teachers: What Do the Teachers Think?

As part of his response to the February 14 shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which claimed the lives of 17 people, President Trump put his weight behind the proposal of giving certain 'gun adept' teachers the allowance to carry concealed guns in their schools. Proponents of the idea say that the number of victims of a shooting would be reduced if there was already somebody on-site with a firearm to engage the attacker. Concerns about the potentially increased danger caused by the ensuing firefight counter these arguments on the other side of the fence.

It is clearly a very difficult topic, and one which divides the general public. What though, do the country's teachers think about the proposal? A new survey by Gallup has revealed that the sentiment among teachers is rather negative. Overall, 73 percent of the almost 500 teachers said that they oppose the idea, with 58 percent saying they think it would actually make schools less safe.