Nebraska state Sen. Steve Halloran knows the realities of 911 calls and response times and the fact that often—especially in rural communities—the damage can be done before people even hear the sirens approaching. So when it comes to school security, he’s OK with the prospect of having teachers carry on campus.
“The damage is done in two to three minutes, so if you don’t have someone there prepared to defend the school, law enforcement ends up putting toe tags on bodies and writing reports,” he said.
That argument fell on deaf ears when he introduced the latest legislative effort to allow teachers and administrators to carry concealed guns at school. The gun-grabbers responded fretfully with one of the lamest arguments imaginable—“Guns are the problem, not the solution,” according to Melody Vaccaro, the vice president of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence.
The gun control crowd never hesitates to throw out such specious catch-phrases, as it suits them, and they all but ignore the facts. Look at the report on the tragic shooting about a year ago in Parkland, Fla. Not only did the findings bear out the notion that incompetence at the Sheriff’s Office was largely to blame for the tragedy, but it also pointed out that on a campus that is spread out, having armed staff at various points on campus would allow for a more timely response, because the school resource officer (SRO) can’t be everywhere at once.
The anti-gunners also worry themselves into a tizzy about the prospect of legislators forcing teachers to carry, regardless of their convictions. That is so far from the truth that it’s laughable. The push for armed teachers almost always includes provisions to ensure that the staff is properly trained and that it’s a choice on the part of the individuals involved.
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