The Armed Classroom, by Matt Murphy

A little more than a month ago, an angry individual was alleged to have committed acts for which he was charged with seventeen counts of first-degree murder. Let me be crystal clear: This is a tragedy for the victims, their families and friends, the school staff, local law enforcement, the community, and the United States of America. No one should have to fear death or harm as a result of attending school, going to work, attending a concert, or attending church, to name a few. The fact that unhappy citizens can inflict their misery on an unsuspecting group of victims is unacceptable in the extreme.

News reports have indicated that the alleged perpetrator had given sufficient prior warning to others, enough that, if even one person had spoken up, two things might have occurred: First, those who were murdered would likely still be alive, and second, the defendant may have gotten the psychological help he needed that could have returned him to society as a productive member. But no one spoke up, and now America, as a whole, has to do some soul-searching so a solution can be found.

One of the early suggestions for a solution was to allow teachers to carry arms, that they might interdict future assaults of armed individuals. On the surface, this may seem a reasonable method of responding to such a situation. Just as infantry soldiers are positioned to resist the advances of an opposing army, teachers could step into the breach and prevent others from being killed.

It is easy to suggest we arm teachers. However, this answer does not come without cost. First, pointing a firearm at a person is one thing, pulling the trigger is another. There are many examples of soldiers, facing combat for the first time, who were unable to complete the act of pulling their trigger. Second, teachers are trained to teach, to nurture; asking them to take up arms seems contrary to that training. Third, there is a psychological cost to causing harm to another, regardless of the reason. Many soldiers have returned home from the battlefield as very different people from who they were before they left home. Taking a life, regardless of justification, changes a person in ways that cannot be reversed.

It is my suggestion that rather than sticking a firearm into the hands of people trained to guide and nurture, and instead place personnel whose profession it is to intervene, be placed in locations where they can, because of their training and skill, make the right decisions in a time of duress, so that everyone can return safely home from school, work, a concert or their place of worship, including those who might have been disposed to inflict harm on their fellow human beings.