If you’re not familiar with what the “Guardian Program” is, this quick read will help you. The guardian program in Florida allows for teachers who complete a 144 hour training program to carry a gun in the classroom. A bill will be signed into law making this effective soon.
Then it will roll out fully into more school districts.
That means whether you agree with it or not, there may soon be armed teachers in schools. This program may eventually extend to your region, if you are not a resident of Florida. It is not this company’s purpose to debate gun ownership rights. The fact is that the threat of a school shooting is both very real, and terrifying for all involved. May we never have another one of these scenarios again.
You can read more on this topic in this article from Reuters.
Time also covered the topic in April of this year.
Gun Detection Is A Must Now
With the prospect of armed teachers becoming a reality, gun detection should be an obvious part of the school security discussion. If any unauthorized person with a gun is on-site at a school, there must be an alarm and alert system capable of informing the proper authorities. Teachers with guns are an absolute last resort for protecting our nation’s students. By giving police and first responders better situational awareness, gun detection can help save valuable time.
The Root Is Deeper
It is downright awful that we have to come up with solutions to stop school shootings. The horror that thousands of people have endured in this realm is unfathomable. Legislation is not the end of the conversation. There is a much more deeply rooted issue at play for young people socially. In many instances school shooters have been bullied, abused, or otherwise neglected. For school superintendents, parents, and educators in general – more must be done to connect.
In a world of constant communication, and the instant gratification of social media – it is important to slow down and listen to each other. Throughout discussions of what measures should be taken on a security level, we must not lose sight of the general problems we’re dealing with here. Finding ways to engage with students, foster collaboration, and alleviate stress appropriately is key. Everybody is different, too. There is no one-size-fits-all answer for creating a healthy environment for your school.
It is painful for people who have survived these incidents, and it is challenging to even attempt to make a difference. But we have to. We have to work together to figure out how to take better care of each other. Hopefully we can find a way forward that creates a better world for everyone.
