One of the well-publicized efforts by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the President Donald Trump administration is to arm teachers as a way to reduce gun violence without creating stricter gun laws — instead of the government working to pass laws to more fully limit who can purchase and use firearms, Secretary DeVos has been suggesting schools should give their teachers weapons.

Children need to be the top priority of the government, rather than weaponizing the country. Guns in properly trained hands would be reasonable, but not guns in the hands of those to whom parents entrust their children.

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Arming teachers is just one more way to make schools unsafe for everyone involved. In Syracuse, the public has been vocal about their distaste for Secretary DeVos’ current plan. 

“Armed weapons have no place in the school,” added David Rosenbloom, a professor from Boston University. “There were armed guards in several schools where mass shootings have occurred and they did not prevent the events. So it does not add to safety, it adds to risk.”

According to a 2017 study in Science Magazine, the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting caused an increase in firearm purchases and exposure, which increased the incidence of accidental firearm deaths — especially in the case of children.

Thus, it doesn’t make any sense to respond to school shootings with arming teachers. Not only does it not fall within an educator’s jurisdiction, but it also puts the children at greater risk. Simply having guns in the schools means there is a greater likelihood of an injury or death occurring.

Arming school teachers is the top of a slippery slope that could lead to arming resident advisers in residence halls.

Teachers, and RAs, shouldn’t be forced to be a part of a militarized education system.

A defensive plan of action is necessary due to increased violence in schools, but surrounding children and young people with educators holding firearms is not the way to do it.

“We need what will prevent deaths and this isn’t new government policy, its continuing government policy,” Rosenbloom said.

In Syracuse, the Onondaga County School Safety Task Force was established to try to figure out the best way to protect the community and students. Their plan of action focuses on education, training and awareness.

Rather than arming teachers, the task force recommends more mental health resources and armed school resource officers who have been through extensive training in educating, weapon handling and counseling.

This may not be the perfect solution, but it shifts toward a more effective means of preventing further tragedies.

Bethanie Viele is a junior biology with a focus on environmental sciences major and religion minor. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at bmviele@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @viele_bethanie.

Published on September 10, 2018 at 11:57 pm