TheRef65 wrote:
Alvin Tostig wrote:
jkca1 wrote:
The report recommends the Legislature approve a measure allowing teachers – who volunteer and undergo extensive background checks and training – to carry concealed guns in schools.I'd be interested to see what the "extensive training" would involve.
When will the teachers find the time to complete their "extensive" (and one would hope recurring) training? What are the minimum standards that will be required in order to be on campus with a firearm? How will the police distinguish the teacher running around waving his/her handgun from the angry parent looking to confront a teacher? Are these teachers still supposed to lesson plan, 90-day plan, attend workshops, attend staff meetings, grade papers, meet with parents, provide extra help after school, fill out their Domain 1-4 evaluation paperwork, complete their annual reflection, etc. (Not to mention spending time trying to learn more about the subject(s) that they're supposed to be teaching.)
This is a stupid idea.
I teach at a public high school with 100 other teachers and another dozen or so administrators/counselors. (Add another ~20 custodians/cafeteria workers/secretaries/etc.) There are some (not me) who would gladly carry a handgun/leave one in a desk drawer (and maybe even some who already do this, although this isn't currently permitted and they certainly don't let anyone know).
Courtesy of JSA.....
JSA wrote:
Participation would require 176 hours of training, which could last about five weeks over the 2018 summer break. By law, the training must include: - 80 hours of firearms instruction
- 16 hours of instruction on precision pistol instruction
- 8 hours of instruction and experience in shooting simulators
- 8 hours of instruction in active-shooter or assailant scenarios
- 8 hours of instruction in defensive tactics
- 12 hours of instruction on legal issues
- 12 hours of certified, nationally recognized diversity training.
They would also be required to complete 16 hours of annual re-certification training and re-quality on marksmanship annually. The majority of teachers do a good job teaching and getting ready to teach (but there are a fair number of slackers). The good teachers spend a lot of time outside the 8 hours of time in the classroom during the day. (Building a schedule over the summer, putting together lesson plans, preparing lab exercises, producing handouts, writing tests, attending required AP and other teaching summer training, completing annual training on everything from blood born pathogens to sexual harassment, etc. That's just during the "summer break". During the school year, there are meetings to attend, providing extra help before and after school, contacting and meeting with parents, grading homework after school, and hours spent filling out paperwork for your annual evaluation.)
A teacher who is spending 5 weeks during the summer to get certified and an addition 1-2 hours per month for recertification is going to be challenged to keep up with their teaching job.
Not to mention, who is going to pay for this program? Are teachers going to pay for their own weapons and ammo? Who pays for the people providing the training and for the time at the small arms range? Are teachers going to take time off and require a sub that needs to be paid in order to complete their recertification training?
What's next? Walmart cashiers, church ministers, movie theater ushers, night club bouncers, and bowling alley kitchen staff to get the same training? Because you never know when/where the next shooting will take place.
"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.