Gun classes for teachers may be catching on in wake of Newtown massacre

SALT LAKE CITY Classroom teachers could stop school shootings by carrying concealed weapons, say gun-rights advocates who plan to offer the required training Thursday for 200 Utah teachers.

The Utah Shooting Sports Council said it would waive its $50 fee for concealed-weapons training for the teachers. Instruction featuring plastic guns was to start Thursday inside a conference room at Maverick Center, a hockey arena in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Valley.

It's an idea gaining traction in the aftermath of the Connecticut school shooting.

In Ohio, the Buckeye Firearms Association said it was launching a test program in tactical firearms training for 24 teachers initially.

"Schools are some of the safest places in the world, but I think teachers understand that something has changed -- the sanctity of schools has changed," said Clark Aposhian, one of Utah's leading gun instructors. "Mass shootings may still be rare, but that doesn't help you when the monster comes in."

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Gun-rights advocates say teachers can act more quickly than law enforcement in the critical first few minutes to protect children from the kind of shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

In Arizona, Attorney General Tom Horne has proposed amending state law to allow one educator in each school to carry a gun.

Educators say Utah legislators left them with no choice but to accept some guns in schools. State law forbids schools, districts or college campuses from trying to impose their own gun restrictions.

"We're not suggesting that teachers roam the halls" for an armed intruder, said Aposhian, chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, the state's leading gun lobby. "They should lock down the classroom. But a gun is one more option if the shooter" breaks into a classroom.

A major emphasis of the safety training is that people facing deadly threats should announce they have a gun and retreat or take cover before trying to shoot, he said.

Utah is among the few states that let people carry licensed concealed weapons into public schools without exception, the National Conference of State Legislatures says in a 2012 compendium of state gun laws.

Utah educators say they would ban guns if they could and have no way of knowing how many teachers are armed. Gun-rights advocates estimate that 1 percent of Utah teachers, or 240, are licensed to carry concealed weapons. It's not known how many pack guns at school.

"It's a terrible idea," said Carol Lear, a chief lawyer for the Utah Office of Education, who argues teachers could be overpowered for their guns or misfire or cause an accidental shooting. "It's a horrible, terrible, no-good, rotten idea."

[eroteme2]

How many public school teachers? Give them all a weapon, then wonder if one of them just might go berserk one day shooting at students who are misbehaving to the point he or she cannot take it any more. But may not be a problem anyway, said teacher could probably not hit anything aimed at. Should they encounter a lunatic who is firing at their students many would freeze, probsbly not have their weapon at the ready anyway.

[ronster19]

"It's a terrible idea," said Carol Lear, a chief lawyer for the Utah Office of Education, who argues teachers could be overpowered for their guns or misfire or cause an accidental shooting. "It's a horrible, terrible, no-good, rotten idea."

Stomp feet, wave arms and pout.

[whyisitclose]

Thank Goodness this responsible homeowner did not hand over his gun. Otherwise, he would not be able to protect his children and their sleepover guests from these intruders. This just happened a few days ago. Why are we not hearing about it??? CBS News - guess what, this is N E W S. Why are you avoiding it?

http://americanlivewire.com/california-homeowner-shoots-dead-home-intruder-as-children-have-sleepover/

[whyisitclose]

Thank Goodness this responsible homeowner did not hand over his gun. Otherwise, he would not be able to protect his children and their sleepover guests from these intruders. This just happened a few days ago. Why are we not hearing about it??? CBS News - guess what, this is N E W S. Why are you avoiding it?

http://americanlivewire.com/california-homeowner-shoots-dead-home-intruder-as-children-have-sleepover/

[citizenstakecontrol]

I have worked in a lot of different schools over the years.....IMHO most are about as secure as a wet paper bag....I remember years ago getting into a discussion about arming teachers with a principal and he was against it....his solution was to put cameras up to record any incidents......

thats all well and good....unfortunately, when the police arrive its always after the fact.....Its a no-brainer that armed security is a deterrent, even Adam Lanza wouldnt have attacked the school if knew armed security would confront him.......

[harv823]

Even a complete moron should realize that the NRA want more people armed with guns because this means more guns being made. These gun manufacturers pay the NRA. The NRA uses these monies to assure that no common sense gun laws are passed by Republican politicians.To me, NRA stands for Noxious Rifle Addicts!

[futballdad]

Whom I wish to add doesnt care about gun control since the aggressor probally didnt buy a gun through proper channels.

[futballdad]

I see how well the current gun control is working in Chicago. Toughest gun control in the whole country and they just hit the 500 mark on murder. The criminals and the police are the only ones with guns. Your average citizen isnt allowed to carry, and is limited to what they can own. As a responsible gun owner I protect my house as I see fit. I teach my children proper gun safety and while out with a former marine sniper and current police rangemaster was happy to hear how well I've done. He said he wishes his cadets were as well versed in safety as my sons are. The teaching begins at an early age and needs to be reinforced as they grow older. I am for stronger background checks, passing a safety class, and mental fitness test before allowing a ccw permit. I also think this would be the best way to curb such issues as we have now. Taking guns from the law abiding citizens is not the best answer it will compound the problem much like is has in Chicago. By the way the Gen. Cosgrove thing is BS it was just a joke. check it on snopes.

[1pheasant1]

The_Ranger_Stands_Alone says:

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?

GENERAL COSGROVE: I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.
______________________________________________

NANCY LANZA: I don't see why, he'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.

Preppers, both!

[1pheasant1]

You can't fix the Nancy Lanza "prepper" mentality. Quite a few seem to have her affliction.

[1pheasant1]

The gunman who shot three officers after a "violent struggle" at a New Jersey police station early Friday is dead, officials said.

"A violent struggle occurred while the suspect was being processed," Deputy Chief David Harkins said. The man was able to grab a gun and then opened fire.
____________________________________________________________
If this gun were wrestled away from a teacher, the result would be Tea Sipping extremists blaming the "incompetent" teacher for the three shot students.

[Turbidite]

Let's take this to the limit. The teacher gets gun lessons, and then teaches the kids how to shoot, and then the kids get issued guns, and then they shoot for grades, and then one gets mad because he or she didn't score well at the practice and the shoot-out at OK Elementary takes place. Where does this gun mania stop?

[whyisitclose]

Quite the imagination you have! Get real.

[whyisitclose]

A more likely story: The intruder kicks in the window. The Principal can hear the screams as she hears him shooting her secretary in the next room. She reaches for her purse for her gun.....then, in horror, she realizes she left it in the car, because she isn't allowed to bring it into the school. She hides under her desk. She tries to breathe shallowly as she sees him through a hole from his knees down....approaching her desk. He comes around the desk, and she knows he is seeing her. She says a silent prayer as he trains the gun on her. She might as well be a defenseless little rabbit.....just waiting....