Firearms and schools are a bad combination

Should teachers be allowed to have weapons on school property?

That is something the Mountain View School District in Idaho is wrestling with in regards to a proposed policy that would allow school personnel to carry weapons on the district’s campuses.

According to a Dec. 20 article in the Lewiston Tribune, one or more of the board members have reservations about the policy. Most Idaho school districts do not allow staff to carry weapons with the exception of the Garden Valley School District north of Boise. The salmon River, Cottonwood and Kamiah districts are considering adopting similar policies.

The policy is intended to determine under which circumstances a weapon could be used in an emergency situation. The district is considering this type of policy because it cannot afford to have school resource officers (SROs) at its buildings. If the policy passes, staff members who choose to bring a weapon to campus must conceal it or lock it up.

We understand why Mountain View and other districts would consider adopting this type of policy. However, we feel that schools and weapons, specifically firearms, are a bad combination in any situation.

Guns have always been a part of our culture, but it’s a different time. Years ago, kids would come to school with their gun racks inside their vehicles because they would go hunting after school. People used to settle conflicts with words — and sometimes fists — instead of firearms.

According to the article, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office would provide firearms training and determine which staff members are qualified to carry a firearm. Firearms training can be helpful in some situations, but there’s no training that can really prepare someone in a situation where live fire is happening around them.

When someone attacks a school, everything is happening so fast and attackers are carrying more firepower than just a handgun. If a teacher keeps their weapon locked up, they may not have enough time to get it if someone attacks the school.

Allowing teachers to carry firearms can also put themselves and students at risk. If a teacher keeps a weapon in their desk, a student could break into it. If a staff member carries their weapon, a student could take it by overpowering them.

The West Plains will more than likely not see Cheney and Medical Lake school districts consider this kind of policy.

Both districts have policies stating that weapons — including firearms — are not allowed on school property, buildings, events or school-provided transportation. They also have SROs that can travel to the schools.

The Cheney Police Department can get to buildings in the city if an emergency happens, however, it may be a challenge for law enforcement to get to Snowdon and Windsor elementary schools and Westwood Middle School, which are outside of Cheney.

The Airway Heights Police Department can be at Sunset Elementary School. The city of Medical Lake has a Spokane County Sheriff’s deputy that can respond to emergencies. There are also ways people can get into the schools without anyone seeing them. The Cheney School District’s bond $52 million bond proposal includes security improvements for the elementary school buildings and the high school.

When an emergency situation happens at a school, the protection of students and staff is a top priority. But allowing weapons — specifically firearms — at schools, no matter who is allowed to carry them, does not make the situation any better.