"Let qualified, trained teachers carry firearms" should be a no-brainer. It's a slam dunk. Not at all something that should generate controversy. And thankfully Indiana looks ready to make that commonsense idea into state policy:
Indiana lawmakers advanced a bill this week that would make state funding available for teachers who want to be trained on how to use a firearm.
The legislation, H.B. 1177, which passed 42-8 in the state Senate, was first advanced in the state House in February, according to the Associated Press. On Tuesday, two Democrats joined all Republicans in supporting the bill.
You love to see the rare bill that brings Republicans and Democrats together!
The bill in question will create "a specialized firearms safety, education, and training curriculum for teachers, school staff, and school employees" and provide state funding for that program.
Funding will also be opened up for "counseling services to students, teachers, school staff, and school employees in the event of a school shooting."
It will ensure that the participants of the voluntary program remain anonymous. This is key. If a potential psychopathic shooter has awareness of which teachers in a building are armed, you can bet he's going to target them first and foremost.
As one state lawmaker it put:
"I'm not wanting teachers or staff to be SWAT members and get aggressive and go out there and go into offense and hunt [shooters]... But what this is, it teaches them proper firearm safety, weapon retention is a big thing, a lot of range time, you know, scenario-based training."
Not every teacher has to take up the responsibility of carrying a firearm for the defense of life, but giving the opportunity to those who want to take up that mantle should be an easy decision.
Unfortunately, the same people who say you should trust your children's teacher to teach them about sexuality and identity like a parent also say that you can't trust said teachers to be responsible and effective in defending your kids like a parent. That's an odd paradox, to be sure!
