Most Don’t Support Arming FL Teachers: Patch Survey

FLORIDA — Whenever a school shooting tragedy grabs headlines across the U.S., inevitably the question gets asked about whether teachers and staff should be armed on campus.

The nationwide debate was most recently revived after 19 children and two teachers were killed in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in May.

Most of those who responded to a recent Patch survey don’t believe Florida’s teachers should carry a weapon at school. When asked if they support arming teachers in school, about 78 percent responded “no,” while about 30 percent of respondents said teachers should have guns in the classroom.

Patch received 292 responses to the survey. The survey is meant not to be a scientific poll, but only to give a broad idea of public sentiment.

“Giving someone a gun does not turn them into James Bond or John Wick,” one reader responded. “Simply giving people guns isn't the answer, especially in such a sensitive context as a classroom. I would not trust an armed teacher around my child.”

One reader who supports arming teachers wrote, “I think teachers should be able to carry a gun on them as a concealed weapon, so they are prepared in case they need to defend themselves and/or their students. Each classroom should be equipped with a gun safe that the teacher can use to store their gun in case they need to remove it from their person at any point during the day.”

About 72 percent of respondents told Patch that they don’t have school-aged children, while 28 percent said their children attend Florida schools.

Many states, including Florida, have laws on the books that allow armed teachers on campus. In the wake of the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, the Sunshine State adopted a law allowing teachers to carry guns on school campuses. The law went into effect in May 2019, a little over a year after that South Florida school shooting left 17 people dead and another 17 injured.

The law established the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program allowing Florida school districts to appoint certain volunteer teachers and staff as armed school guardians. To participate, guardians must pass psychological and drug screenings and complete at least 144 hours of training. Forty-five Florida school districts participate in the program.

Patch readers offered some other suggestions for keeping children and staff safe on Florida’s school campuses.

“Restricting access to guns, more specifically ‘hunting’ rifles, closing gun show loopholes, requiring background checks and psych evaluations, and continuing education would be a start,” one respondent wrote. “Charge parents with crimes if they allow their kids to access their guns or purchase their own that are used in these shootings.”

Another reader said that their children’s school asked for parent volunteers to patrol campus. Though the school never followed up with those who volunteered, the parent thinks this could be a good answer to the problem.

“I don't know if they encountered legal issues or what, but we never heard anything back. I work a lot but could find a one day a week to volunteer and I'm certain others would,” they wrote.

Other readers thought that military veterans could be hired to guard schools.

“They are qualified, and most times need jobs and are willing to defend our schools,” one respondent wrote.

Many readers felt that there needs to be more security measures at school entrances.

“Lock all doors except one in the front, so that they can only be opened for emergencies from the inside. Metal detectors at main entrance,” one reader wrote.

Another survey respondent wrote, “Keep all entrances locked from outside entry and have only one entrance that has an armed security guard.”