Arm Florida's Teachers?

March 2018
 

It is surreal that we are now talking about arming teachers as a way to protect students from being shot in our schools. Teachers do not want to be armed with guns. Teachers want to be armed with schools that have enough social workers, psychologists and counselors. They want to be armed with small class sizes so they can build relationships with every student. Teachers want to be armed with the tools and resources that they need to do their jobs and ensure student success.

How is it that the same legislators who cannot find the funds to pay teachers a professional salary or to properly fund our public schools, can find the money to buy them guns and bullets? Teachers are not even trusted to have a seat at the table when making decisions about public education and their own profession, but now certain lawmakers trust them to carry guns?

Teachers signed up to teach, not to be law enforcement officers. Just the thought that anyone thinks it is okay to shove one more unwelcome responsibility on teachers is infuriating. Does anyone really believe teachers should be expected to shoot down a disturbed person with an assault rifle, without endangering students who are caught in the crossfire? No teacher signed up to be a sharp shooter or a killer.

Too many lawmakers in Florida and in Washington, DC with the power to stop future school massacres care more about protecting the NRA and maintaining the flow of campaign donations, than they do about protecting children’s lives.

It was sickening to watch the Florida House Republicans vote against debating an assault rifle ban while the Parkland students sat in the gallery. What is being debated in Tallahassee days after three courageous Parkland teachers gave their lives to protect their students? HB 7055, a bill that would decertify teacher unions and silence our state’s strongest voice for students, teachers and public education.

Guns have no place in our schools. Assault rifles have no place in our society. They are weapons of war. We need to look at the source of the problem. The problem is guns and our society’s obsession with guns. We cannot allow the killing of innocent children to become the new normal for our country. It is not normal that we keep putting band aids on the problem instead of eliminating the root cause.

If our legislators will not take action, we must. This November vote for legislators who support legislation that will ensure safe schools and safe communities.