More than two years have passed since a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., shook the nation and challenged Congress and President Obama to act on the proliferation of guns and violence. But nothing much has changed, as a relentless and powerful gun lobby has derailed even the most modest gun-control efforts, such as expanding background checks.
In fact, much of the pro-gun crowd has moved in the opposite direction, pushing relaxed gun laws and insisting, in effect, that the answer to more gun violence is more guns — even in schools.
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A growing number of Ohio school officials, including Lake Local Board of Education President Tim Krugh, are considering such an ill-advised line of defense by arming staff. The Lake Local school board has scheduled a forum on Saturday to discuss, among other things, a training program that the Buckeye Firearms Association offers to school staff. For parents, the idea raises the possibility of having teachers, principals, janitors, and others carrying guns into their children’s school.
It’s not the first time politicians and educators have pushed risky measures governing the use of firearms in schools. The Ohio House approved a bill last year that would have authorized school districts across the state to designate employees who could carry concealed handguns on school grounds — and prohibited disclosing these employees’ names. Fortunately, the measure died in the state Senate, but lawmakers could reintroduce similar legislation this year.
Nationwide, an estimated one-third of public schools have armed security on site — but most are trained officers, not school staff. Even using trained security or police officers with arrest powers should be done reluctantly. Turning schools into junior-varsity corrections facilities inevitably degrades learning.
Moreover, arming school staff creates more risks than it eliminates. Guns and students don’t mix. Handguns assigned to staff could end up in the hands of students, who are capable of finding items they want in supply closets and elsewhere.
There’s the further risk of students taking guns directly from staff. Corrections officers don’t carry guns in prisons because of similar dangers.
Whatever firearms training cash-strapped school districts can afford to provide their staff is likely to be inadequate, especially given how complex a campus siege or standoff can become. Better ways to bolster school security include limiting access, installing added alarms and cameras, and working more closely with local law enforcement to ensure a quick response to emergencies.
The Ohio School Boards Association believes that about three dozen public school districts in the state allow staff members to be armed in school, or are considering such a measure. It’s a dangerous idea that school districts should avoid.
First Published January 23, 2015, 5:00 a.m.
