By Rachel Lauten
SAN MARCOS, Texas – On Monday many students and San Martians
shared information and their opinions about arming K- 12 teachers.
Students and residents around the Texas State University
campus had varying opinions whether K- 12 teachers should or should not be
armed due to a recent mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in
Parkland, Florida. The sides that people were leaning towards were pro, against,
on the fence and people who gave some other interesting information about the
topic. There were many arguments and different sides taken from a variety of
people. Everyone had something different to say about the subject, even if they
were on the same side of the subject.
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| photo credit: Rachel Lauten |
Garret Hanson, finance major, said that everyone should have
a gun if it is necessary and is pro arming teachers. He would be ok with arming
administration or campus police if they go through the training process to get
a concealed handgun license.
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| photo credit: Ben Blanton |
Adrian Gonzalez, concrete industry management major, agreed with
Hanson and said that teachers who have had a positive past with firearms and
who we believe can protect children should be armed.
Hannah Mose Harvey, elementary school principal and against
arming teachers, said that there should be a mandatory freshman course on
campus safety that includes gun safety. She said that there are other effective
alternatives that could be taken for children’s safety.
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| photo credit: James H. Law Elementary website |
“I think we need better training. We need more detective
training. More hands-on training … I think every school should have what is
called a panic button. Once you hit a red button, it goes directly to 9-1-1 and
the nearest police station.” said Harvey.
Brian Schatz, United States Senator said on Twitter that he
was at the march in DC on Saturday. He said multiple alternatives
to arming teachers.
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| photo credit: Nellie Perry |
Brittney Fleming, nutrition major, said that there are some
ways to prevent gun violence. She said that people can obtain things that are
illegal easily. She said she was against arming teachers.
“I don’t think banning guns is necessarily the right thing
to do but at the same time, I do believe we need lots of restrictions, a lot of
watching out for the people who are buying these guns.” said Fleming.
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| photo credit: Rachel Lauten |
Luis Gustavo Castillo-Siero, marketing major, was on the
fence when he talked about arming teachers. He said that handling elementary
versus middle and high school kids is different because of the grown-up aspect.
He said that the region depends on arming teachers.
“I guess it depends on where they are, the region, because
there are some schools that are more dangerous than others so just some of them
do need to be armed.” Said Castillo-Siero.
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| photo credit: Brianna Fisher |
Rick Willett, parent, said a response to how he felt about
guns on campus and safety with certain people handling guns.
“I grew up with guns on campus. We carried our rifles and
shotguns to school … Our principles and teachers had guns in their cars. When I
grew up it wasn’t anything weird for guns to be on campus.” said Willett.
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| photo credit: Corey Hammonds |
“I think it would overall have a negative effect, it would
put more stress onto teachers. Not only do they have to prepare these lesson
plans and keep their classrooms under control and engage their students, but
they have to be backup security and make sure to put their life on the line to
protect all these students.” said Butler.
Shootings happen and people respond to these differently
than others. This poses many questions including alternatives that could be
taken to help the situation.
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