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Today's Poll!Legislators file concealed gun bill for teachers
Thursday, December 20, 2012
More than two dozen Missouri lawmakers are backing legislation that would allow teachers and administrators with concealed gun permits to carry weapons in schools.
The legislation comes after 20 students and six adults were killed by a shooter at a Connecticut elementary school last week.
The Missouri bill is sponsored by Republican Rep. Mike Kelley, of Lamar, and is supported by top lawmakers. Kelley’s 24 co-sponsors include House Speaker Tim Jones, of Eureka, and Majority Leader John Diehl, of Town and Country.
Missouri law currently prohibits concealed guns at schools unless approved by the local school board or a school official.
Earlier this week, Republican Rep. Stanley Cox, of Sedalia, suggested people might think twice about attacking schools if they knew teachers or administrators could be carrying guns.
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Comments
herekitty 6 months ago
This sounds like a VERY good bill, but they also need special training to go with it like the police receive.
MO4LIFE 6 months ago
This is the worst idea i have ever heard. You have teachers snapping in classrooms and smacking students and yelling at students. Better yet what happens when there is a fight at school and a teacher draws there guns on students. This is at best a concerted effort at finding a solution and at worst an invitation to much more violence and problems.
newone 6 months ago
Horrible idea, I see bad things coming from this. What happens if a student gets a hold of the gun, what if like Mo4Life says the teachers snaps and takes out her class. They need to try again.
RobHunterJohnson 6 months ago
What if a young man snaps? What if a policeman snaps, a secret service man snaps, and what if? A CCW guy drew down on the shooter in Oregon, he did not take the shot (training?), but it was enough to make the shooter retreat to a stairwell, and stop himself. It still ashame he had already killed two? Rob
newone 6 months ago
And when a young person gets ahold of the teacher’s gun and takes out the entire class then what? We can do the what if’s all day but the fact remains having a teacher carry a gun in school doesn't really help matters, it might eliminate one problem but it creates another!
Frankenstein27 6 months ago
I'm sure that will drive down the cost of schools' liability insurance policies.....
stop1 6 months ago
What if someone shows up at a school, breaks in and starts shooting grade school kids and teachers? What if no one else in the school has a gun to defend themselves or others? I wonder what the outcome would be.
newone 6 months ago
And I wonder what the outcome would be if a pi**ed off student knows the teacher is packing, over takes the teacher gets the gun and takes out his entire class, trading one problem for another isn't going to help anything!
stop1 6 months ago
I'd say another teacher would take care of it
mikemojc 6 months ago
I'm all for CCW, but this sounds like a direct knee jerk reaction.
AmericanHunter 6 months ago
You people are very naive. Why do you think these people attack schools, movie theaters, malls, and churches...because they know its illegal to carry a firearm in them. They want to do the most damage to the most people possible and a place where no one will be shooting back is perfect. I dont see people trying to shoot up gun stores, firing ranges, donut shops...places like Ammo Alley, HOB, pawn shops, where most people around have pistol on their hip. The crazy ahole in Colorado drove past several theaters to get to the one that had posted signs against CCW permit holders. Coincedence? Knee jerk reaction, maybe. But lets start somewhere. Make these people think twice about going somewhere where people MAY be carrying a firearm. I dont speed because there MAY be a cop around the next corner but put a sign up that says NO COPS NEXT 100 MILES....you better hold on!
MO4LIFE 6 months ago
Then you put armed security in the schools like the rest of the country except for backwards tx. not teachers that are packing.
AmericanHunter 6 months ago
What would be the difference between them 'snapping' or if theres a fight at school and the guard draws on one of them, or a wad of rebelious students wrestles them down and steals the gun...? Not every teacher needs to carry, hell none of them need to carry. But the fact that an active shooter COULD take three steps inside a school and have the wind taken out of him may deter this from happening. If not guns, why not tazers, pepper spray....
stop1 6 months ago
Very good idea. Something non-lethal such as a tazer or even a gun that shoots non-lethal rounds would work.
John 6 months ago
No such thing as a non-lethal round. Geeeezzzz, some of you folks like to use buzzwords.
newone 6 months ago
Or make it to where these ahole's do not make it into the school to start with, this kid had no business in that school, he didn't have a kid that went there he didn't have a parent or family member who was working that day so why in the hell did they let him in???? When a person comes into the school make them wait in a waiting room of bullet proof glass while they find out exactly what they want and why they are there, I am sorry but there is no reason why anyone needs into a school during the day that isn't a family member of a child or an employee, I don't have all the answers but I have to believe that there are other ways to prevent such a tragedy other than arming the teachers that could possibly cause a different kind of tragedy!
stop1 6 months ago
They didn’t let him in, he shot out a window
soxfan 6 months ago
i dont like the way this is going-teachers with guns, how about screening at the doors or panic buttons but not guns in schools.
don l
voiceofreason7 6 months ago
This bill is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. These NRA-backed legislators who think that the solution to gun violence in schools is to put guns in schools should be drummed out of office. How about a bill that requires a single entrance to school premises with a metal detector and a couple of teachers monitoring it? No, that would require a little brainpower and effort. Children should be able to learn in an environment were gun violence cannot occur. Arming teachers will do the opposite. It anticipates and encourages gun play, rather than preventing it. I want my legislators to introduce bills that keep guns out of school, not the opposite.
Also, the author of this article should identify by name all of the bill sponsors so we have a better idea of who to vote against in the next election.
AmericanHunter 6 months ago
voiceoftreason....it's my understanding that the Conn shooter was not let in and shot his way through a glass door (I may be wrong). EIther way, first, most schools have adopted a single entrance philosophy and second what is a metal detector and a couple teachers armed with a smile going to do with an active shooter approaching. Call 911, well thats great in all but now we just lost three teachers and an administrator that was trying to help.while police were on there way. Now we have a madman walking the halls of a school knowing all to well there's not a damn person in that building that can stop him. Now THAT sounds ridiculous.
newone 6 months ago
I do not think they know or have relased how he was able to enter the school, but that would be an easy fix if he shot his way through the glass, bullet proof glass!
MO4LIFE 6 months ago
That is why you have armed guards or SROs in all school buildings at the one entrance that is available and that stops them. Unless you plan on sending teachers to police academy for training on how to handle situations and when to draw your weapon and when not to. Almost all Teachers unions and school boards are against this policy. It is stupid teenagers take the gun from a teacher teachers drawing guns on students when they misbehave student getting shot during a fight. All exaples of why this legislation is stupid. Besides the fact that Federal law prohibits firears in schools unless you are trained security or law enforcement. Teachers should not be put in a position to be law enforcers as well as teaching our children!!!!
MO4LIFE 6 months ago
No because the first place the shooter went was to the office and killed principal and therapist and secretary. No time to get weapon from wherever it is locked up at and i know you don't want them just walking arounfd with guns on hips like the wild wild west that invites problems.
stop1 6 months ago
What do you think the outcome would have been if the principal would have had a gun?
Paroquet 6 months ago
Look, aside from putting guns in schools among admins, faculty, or staff, the alternative to keeping them out, such as in the case of Conn, is to have the entries and exits hardened & airlocked like an MSP, have students dress-in/dress-out under observation with all necessary educational material provided by or through the school so absolutely nothing (or as little as possible) gets in that isn't authorized. Nothing leaves without check-out, nothing comes back without a check-in.
So. Which would you prefer? Tasers, LTL ammo (maybe) or sending your kids to a Maximum Security Prison for a day? I suppose we could have all students fitted with stun collars that could be activated with the press of a button...
Sequoia 6 months ago
So, either way, in your world, life becomes order at gunpoint.
Now is not the time to nurse our animal instincts. Paranoia, fear, glorification of justified violence, the will to power, etc.
Let's just chill. Passing quickly-drafted laws endorsed by a weapons manufacturers' association is probably not the wise course. Let's not cede our decision-making to an entity with a sales quota.
A brave and passionate person will kill or be killed. A brave and calm person will always preserve life. Of these two, which is good, and which is harmful?
Paroquet 6 months ago
"So, either way, in your world, life becomes order at gunpoint"
More or less that's what you get for complete (as can be) safety. Enforced exclusion of specific items and the method by which they may enter by surreptitious means, as a preventative. The other option is to have defensive mechanisms in place. Choose whatever method you like. You're left with only those means; preventative or reactive. One does all it can to stop something from occurring, the other acts to minimize the damage in the event of an occurrence.
Do you have a suggestion? Tearing down any idea is easy. What would you see as methods or means for preventing such from happening in the future without infringing upon the rights and privileges of those outside the institution?
Sequoia 6 months ago
I think schools and classrooms could be designed with better security in mind, as far as entrances and exits, classroom doors, etc. One armed guard per institution is probably enough.
Of course I also support much stricter regulation of assault weapons, as I've discussed earlier.
John 6 months ago
Our lives are already "order at gunpoint." Now is the time to decide how to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighborhood . . . As it is, we rely upon police to protect us. Fact is: there are not enough police officers (some of them are of doubtful assistance also), they cannot respond quickly enough to defend us, they arrive after the fact, military cannot and should not (domestically ---- Posse Comitatus), and the laws are written in such a way (this is a good thing) that unless there is a threat nothing can be done. I trust teachers, who are trained, as much as I do a law enforcement official. And there is no way we can afford to retrofit every school with bulllet proof glass or other armored items. Even if you do install metal detectors there has to be someone there who is armed in case a weapon is detected.
newone 6 months ago
So I guess after college these teachers will need to go to the police academy to learn how to protect their students? I know 4 teachers here locally and one who is in college to be a teacher and all think this is a horrible idea, put guns in school and it WILL create an entirely new set of problems.
JCLifer 6 months ago
Waiting for Obama to create a "School Safety Czar" and start up a whole School Safety Administration (SSA) under Homeland Security. They could hire millions of SSA agents to work at each school building aroind the country to run body scanners to check everyone who may enter a school building.
If TSA is good for airports, SSA will be good for schools.
We need bigger federal government! Government is the solution to every problem.
voiceofreason7 6 months ago
JCLifer - Public school is government, so obviously there needs to be a governmental solution to school security. I would pay as much tax as it would take to make children safe in schools.
Are you against the TSA also? I'm glad they're there. It's a tough job that needs to be done.
I would be happy if my children's school had a security guard. Hiring millions of security guards would be good for unemployment and the economy and bad for gun-toting maniac teenagers.
This is part of the "freedom" that the NRA and the 2nd amendment have bought us.
stop1 6 months ago
OK the end result of having some faculty armed would not be a gunfight. The odds are they would never have to use a gun. The whole point is to discourage a person from showing up armed, if they know they will be killed before they have a chance to hurt anyone odds are they won’t even try. If they do make the attempt at least our children have a chance. If the principal would have been armed and could have killed this guy as he stormed through the glass many parents and family members would be having a Merry Christmas this year.
WTF 6 months ago
You really think that if someone has their mind set to do a incredible act of evil like what happened in Conn. that having one person standing in front of them with a gun is going to back them off from doing what they went there to do? From what I have read, this kid has this planned out. He was going to do whatever he needed to do. His actions proved that.
John 6 months ago
Yes, I believe that people like this choose soft targets, it is proven by all kinds of studies. Therefore, allow teachers to carry if they have a CWL and PUBLICIZE it.
WTF 6 months ago
Would you care to elaborate on the studies that were conducted? How were these studies conducted? Where is the evidence John? I'm sorry but I don't take your belief as a fact.
stop1 6 months ago
Yes, I really think a bullet between his eyes would have stopped him.
WTF 6 months ago
How would that have happened stop1? We aren't in living in fantasy land.
RobHunterJohnson 6 months ago
US Marshalls have put a stop to plane problems since 911? You never know who they are, or if their on your plane, something a shooter would have to take a chance on if schools had some that were armed! Rob
connor 6 months ago
LOL who cares if this bill is passed or not? The public education system is dominated by Liberal Feminist and is the largest single group of gun control supporters in the country. Some small percentage of them or the one or two who managed to keep their positions while not following the Liberal religious dogma may take advantage of carrying while at school but not enough of them to matter. If we force them to keep weapons they will insist on a secure lock up room and a new employee position to monitor the firearms. Then of course about 2 Million in tax dollars per school for training, yearly weapon and ammo purchases etc. And all for nothing in the end.
We might as well make legislation allowing turtles to own wings for all the good this would do.
TickledPink 6 months ago
Connor, did you like the idea of self deportation? Would you please self ban. I believe you say these things to get a rise out of the other people on these forums and that's not productive. If you truly believe the things you say, you're still not productive and should be removed for being a horse's patoot.
To possibly add some substance to this inanity - Yes, if teachers end up with guns in the school they should be locked up, there should be EXTENSIVE training and yes, we're going to have to pay for it. However, I will pull my sons from their schools before I'll let them be locked in with firearms. They know how to shoot - we've had guns in our home. I and select members of my family are the ONLY ones allowed to have firearms around my children.
3633 6 months ago
Now, Conner that does not even deserve a commit, but I will give one. How can any positive changes get into place if some continue to use name calling about things. We are all different and our views are different, however we are all in this thing called life, in America, so let's work on things to help not divide! Solutions are what's needed, not personal feelings.
jpfelix 6 months ago
We can be free or we can be safe. One requires the sacrifice of the other.
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