I have a feeling we’re about to find out. And the fact that a K-12 school district is arming teachers may not be the worst part.
A small Arkansas school district is arming and training 20 volunteer teachers and staff with handguns for fall classes to become the first in the state to make use of a little-known state law that allows licensed, armed security guards on campus. [...]
Under the new program, 20 volunteers have undergone 53 hours of training in time for fall classes and will be armed with 9mm handguns.
“We’re not just talking about passing out guns to whoever. We’re putting people through some very rigorous training,” Hopkins says.
Participants in the program are given a one-time $1,100 stipend to purchase a handgun and holster. Hopkins says the district is paying about $50,000 for ammunition and for training at a private training facility.
$50,000 for ammunition and training plus $1,100 per teacher for purchasing a handgun for a total of $72,000.
And for what? To accidentally discharge their weapon in the classroom some day? To accidentally leave it in the bathroom?
We can’t afford to give our children a proper education or adequately pay teachers for the hell we put them through, but apparently we can afford $72,000 for guns in the classroom.