Another school shooting leads to another round of worthless responses. We hear how this shouldn’t happen in schools, it does. We hear how teachers shouldn’t have to worry about this, they do. The governor’s statement on this issue exemplifies how absolutely ridiculous this situation is:
“I’m saddened to learn of the death of the Huffman student. I’m praying for the family of this young lady who tragically lost her life way too early. Every life is precious and even though this was an accident it reaffirms there’s no place for students to have firearms on campus” (emphasis added).
Why this matters: Guns are already banned from this campus. They even have metal detectors and that did not stop a student from bringing a gun and “accidentally” shooting it twice (this has changed as police consider video evidence it may have been purposeful). There is ample evidence that we cannot keep guns out of schools when people are determined to bring them in.
It is time for leaders to accept this and give those who want to protect their students the ability to confront the matter.
Allow teachers to carry — do it now. No more committees or hearings. Protect the schools.
The Details:
— A 17-year-old student at Huffman High School in Birmingham is dead after a classmate got a gun in the school and shot her.
— Huffman HS is a gun-free zone with metal detectors and school resource officers. An Alabama bill would allow other schools to spend money on these things.
— A majority of Americans oppose allowing teachers to carry, with 80 percent of Republicans supporting it and 86 percent of Democrats opposing it.
— 59 percent of parents with kids in school want the teachers to be allowed to carry.
Dale Jackson hosts a daily radio show from 7-11 a.m. on NewsTalk 770 AM/92.5 FM WVNN and a weekly television show, “Guerrilla Politics,” on WAAY-TV, both in North Alabama. Follow him @TheDaleJackson.
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