SAN DIEGO — The mass shooting at Robb Elementary School has reignited the gun control debate and sparked discussion on how to best protect students at school. The idea to arm teachers has resurfaced.
Associate Professor Lauren Willner at San Diego State University conducted a nationwide survey, asking teachers how they feel about being armed.
"People said things like 'I don't see this as my job. I am there to teach not be an armed protector' feel I'm the person that should have a gun," Willner said.
Nearly 3,000 teachers responded with all 50 states and Guam being represented.
"Regardless of if they were gunowners themselves or how they felt about the second amendment, the majority of respondents from preschool to higher education did not think being armed in the classroom was the appropriate or effective solution to this problem," she said.
The dark red on this chart shows more than 95 percent of teachers don't feel it's their responsibility to be armed. She said most respondents did support a more proactive approach.
"The combination when somebody is struggling with mental health and has easy access to guns. We know those two in combination do not lead themselves to positive outcomes," she said.
A local father explained his perspective on guns in the classroom.
"I don't think that's the right idea. I think we shouldn't do that at all and think we could come up with a better solution than that. I don't know what it is off the top of my head. Teachers already have enough problems. This is the last thing we need to burden them with," said father Max Galkin.
The Texas Attorney General called to arm educators after the Uvalde shooting. Ohio has a bill that, if passed, would allow their teachers to carry guns.
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