Let’s arm teachers! That is the message Utah lawmakers are sending with the latest bill to incentivize school employees to carry guns, HB119. We all feel an urgency to “do something” every time there is yet another school shooting. Utah’s answer, incentivize teachers to carry guns. Give them fee waivers, training, a gun safe, and protection from liability. Add “police officer” to their responsibilities in addition to educating our children.
That will fix the problem. But will it really?
The number one cause of death among children under 18 in the United States is gun violence. The stress and additional responsibilities placed on teachers to single handedly reduce the school shooting trend is unfair and unrealistic. It potentially exposes more students to gun violence and does not make school climate safer. It increases anxiety among staff and students. This “strategy” is reactionary and does nothing to impact the root cause, why is this happening?
If we really want to reduce school shootings, we need to improve our school environments, so all students feel included and welcome. Schools should promote positive connections through social emotional learning and peer mentoring. Increasing access to mental health education and counseling, adding crisis teams who can intervene when there are warning signs, and providing programs that impactfully address bullying would reduce risk by promoting a positive school climate. Perhaps we should spend less time worrying about which bathroom students use. Connection is the answer, not creating further divisions. Spending money toward social and emotional well-being is far safer than a classroom gun safe.
Stephanie Garahana, West Valley City
