Doug Jones: Arming teachers is the 'dumbest idea I've ever heard'

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY AVERY ANAPOL - 02/20/18 01:46 PM EST

Alabama Sen. Doug Jones (D) had harsh words for a bill proposed in his state’s legislature that would arm teachers on school campuses in response to the deadly school shooting last week in Florida.

"I think that's the dumbest idea I've ever heard,” JonesJones told Alabama’s News5 on Monday in response to the proposal from state Rep. Will Ainsworth (R). “I think it's crazy. You don't need 40-50 guns in there, and it's a cost issue.”

“You're going to have to train those teachers,” he added. “You don't need to arm America in order to stop this, you just need to be smart about it."

Ainsworth, who is running for lieutenant governor, announced last week that he planned to introduce the bill, and has garnered support from law enforcement and other GOP officials, according to AL.com.



Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/374680-doug-jones-arming-teachers-is-the-dumbest-idea-ive-ever-heard

[stonecutter357]

1. K&R

[lindysalsagal]

2. No teacher should be held responsible for a gun. It's insane. If a teacher can get it, a student can

Too. Locks? Keys? Don't make me laugh. The kids will find a way.

No one should send their child to a school with guns in it.

If localities can't afford to rebuild schools and increase staff, then guns must be controlled.

[SoCalMusicLover]

3. Law Enforcement In Favor Of Bill

Can we dispose of the myth that law enforcement is on our side?

I wonder what will happen to the cop who shoots an Armed Teacher by mistake, while looking for the real shooter. That's right, Nothing.

[TeamPooka]

4. We do not need more guns in schools. We need more art supplies, musical instruments, and computers.

[iluvtennis]

22. Indeed.

[callous taoboy]

30. Agree, but don't leave off counselors who actually counsel.

Our school counselors at the school where I teach are too busy with testing of all sorts. They are completely out of touch with students who may potentially turn to violence at some point.

[appalachiablue]

5. Arming Teachers/Educators is receiving much attn. on the right after Parkland.

Feb. 17, 2018, Polk Co. FL Sheriff Grady Judd advocates SENTINEL PROGRAM to arm & train teachers and professors.
Judd claims the program started in 2016 and has been used at a Fla. college.

According to posters here, Sheriff Judd is a known character in the state, running for re-election and a grandstander.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/florida-sheriff-on-arming-teachers-ok-einstein-you-got-a-better-idea/ar-BBJlvXX

Gingrich Says Arming Teachers Only Long Term Solution to School Shootings, The Hill, Feb. 20, 18
http://thehill.com/homenews/media/374630-gingrich-says-arming-teachers-only-long-term-solution-to-school-shootings

This idea is full of potential and likely problems and hazards. Let's hope like Doug Jones, it doesn't get implemented, even if supported by the NRA, some LE, gun advocates and more.

[DeminPennswoods]

31. Didn't the school have 2 armed "resource officers", i.e. police

on campus? If trained professionals couldn't or didn't stop the shooter, what chance does an amatuer teacher have?

[appalachiablue]

32. Indeed, what about the special officers. Not sure I heard anything

about them in this massacre. It's an impt. matter. Esp. with more than 3,000 students at Parkland HS, where were they?

The grandstanding Sheriff's hustle is absurd, through the state, or if he's not re-elected on his own in 'private security.'

[tclambert]

6. If more guns make us safer, how come we aren't safe already? We have 5 times as many guns

as any other country, and the most per capita, though Yemen is close. (Yemen seems to have a lot of gun violence, also.)

Arming teachers will just lead to this headline: Teacher Shoots Up School

[Hermit-The-Prog]

8. should be the safest

Another possible headline: Student Takes Teacher's Gun, Rampages

It's nuts.

[robbob]

7. They just had an interview on NPR

With a Florida senator who suggested arming and training teachers. I kept waiting for the host to ask how much money he had received from the NRA. Of course they never did.

[appalachiablue]

9. Yes, all out media campaign blitz now on this subject- Fox, The Hill,

NPR--appearing on TV, Print and Radio outlets in the last 3 days. Much concern due to wide attention and disgust displayed over the Parkland School Valentine's Day massacre. The hard right is really pushing back, but it won't work..

The *MARCH FOR OUR LIVES movement just started by Parkland FL student survivors. They've already organized a national March to DC set for Sat. March 24 with WOMEN'S MARCH groups and other events, and raised $800,000 in support as of this post:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210262022

gofundme.com site to Donate to Cameron Kasky's MARCH FOR OUR LIVES, March 24 March to Wash. DC & other community events:
https://www.gofundme.com/8psm8-march-for-our-lives

[obamanut2012]

11. George and Amal Clooney just donated an additional 500k

[appalachiablue]

12. Yes indeed, great help from the Clooneys and others!

[wcollar]

10. Think about some of the teachers you had in school.......

Now think of them armed...............

Scares the hell out of me.

[askyagerz]

20. A few might have just shot me

After I drove them nuts

[BBG]

13. Lakewood WA PD

4 cops in a donut shop, 1 shooter. All 4 cops dead. All were armed. So much for armed response to an active shooter. 4 armed cops.

[EllieBC]

18. That's like the North Hollywood shootout in the 90s.

Cops had to go into a local gun store and get better weapons. They were totally outgunned.

[JohnnyRingo]

14. I agree, because...

Why should the onus be on teachers to be armed killers in an academic battleground? Idiot republicans seem to think anyone from a science teacher to a janitor have the rare instinct to react with deadly force, not to mention that firing upon someone who has an assault weapon makes that person the next target. No one wants that.

Case in point:

In the theater shooting in Colorado several years ago, no one returned fire. Not one person in a city where carried guns are almost plentiful as cell phones shot at the killer. The reason is that, unlike the movies, people can take several rounds from a handgun and continue their assault with organ shredding high powered bullets before they succumb to their wounds. Even highly trained cops would retreat to a safer vantage point when they're outgunned.

[Worsel]

15. Give Miss Crabtree a piece

and like all good guys with a gun, she'll immediately turn into John McClane.

I have a 70 year old ex coworker, 70 pounds overweight, with a bad hip and two replaced knees and no military or police training, and that's the transformation he's expecting if he ever takes his concealed carry out of the holster.

[TeamPooka]

24. or Edna Crabapple.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. Who's going to train a few million of them?

An untrained person with a gun is as dangerous as it is.

[Behind the Aegis]

17. Wait, they are thinking of giving them guns?

Or will they, the teachers, have to purchase them like all of their other supplies that the government currently DOES NOT buy?!

[EllieBC]

19. Sorry we cannot afford pencils and paper but here's a revolver. NT.

[EllieBC]

21. The teachers would be outgunned.

Unless they were equipping them with guns the attackers would have which they will not and the training and desire to get involved in a fire fight. Dumbest idea ever is right!

[askyagerz]

23. There is a reason police have armored swat teams

It's silly to think a couple of scared teachers will be able to stand up against an armored person with a death wish

[TeamPooka]

25. So they want a teacher's college to look more like a training class at Quantico? Good luck with that

[LenaBaby61]

27. Several teacher friends of mine ...

Tell me that the principals/administrative staff of the schools that they teach @ (In the LA County area) say that they'll now probably be starting preparedness drills this because of what happened in Parkland Florida.

[Turbineguy]

26. But you have to admit,

considering the intelligence of those who thought it up, they were having one of their better days!

[Ohiogal]

28. Doug Jones --

"Bringing Sense Back to Alabama, One Day at at Time"

Can anyone imagine if that racist pedophile had gotten elected? He'd be passing out the guns door to door by now.

[callous taoboy]

29. I am a teacher, and I will NOT own a firearm.

That's my first reaction beyond agreeing that it is a very stupid idea and fraught with danger.

[ThoughtCriminal]

33. HOw many of those guns will end up being stolen?

I work at a school district. Believe me, nothing in a classroom is safe from theft.

In 23% of shootings within the Hospital Emergency departments ED, the weapon was a security officer’s gun taken by the perpetrator. https://www.hasc.org/sites/main/files/03-hos1_0.pdf

And that's from trained security officers. Think your kid's math teacher will do better?