Wis. lawmaker wants teachers to carry guns

[KinnyLee]

Wis. lawmaker wants teachers to carry guns
He cites Israel, Thailand; school official says problems are not that bad
The Associated Press

Updated: 12:51 a.m. CT Oct 5, 2006
MADISON, Wis. - In the wake of school shootings in Wisconsin, Colorado and Pennsylvania during the last two weeks, a state legislator says he plans to introduce legislation that would allow teachers, principals, administrators and other school personnel to carry concealed weapons.

Rep. Frank Lasee, a Republican, said Wednesday that, while his idea may not be politically correct, it has worked effectively in other countries.

"To make our schools safe for our students to learn, all options should be on the table," he said. "Israel and Thailand have well-trained teachers carrying weapons and keeping their children safe from harm. It can work in Wisconsin."

In Thailand, where officials have been waging a bloody fight with Muslim separatists for the last two years, some teachers carry weapons for self defense as they are viewed as part of the government. In Israel, teachers are not allowed to carry weapons in the school, but security guards at the entrances are armed.

Lasee stressed that the measure would hinge on school staff members getting strict training on the use of the weapons. He also acknowledged he would have to work around a federal law that bans guns on school grounds.

The director of school safety for Milwaukee Public Schools, Pete Pochowski, expressed opposition to Lasee's proposal.

"Statistically, the safest place for a child to be is in school," Pochowski said. "We have problems in our schools, but not to the point where we need to arm our teachers and principals."


Children in countries such as Israel and Thailand are far more vulnerable to daily violence than students in America, he said.

"In the country we live in, we have a lot of freedom," Pochowski said, "and we have to expose ourselves to some danger to keep that."

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15142930/

[lrb111]

"In the country we live in, we have a lot of freedom," Pochowski said, "and we have to expose ourselves to some danger to keep that."

among those freedoms is the right to keep and bear arms, and yes there is a slight bit of danger in exercising that right. But it doesn't involve exposing innocent children to homicidal maniacs.

[quidni]

"Statistically, the safest place for a child to be is in school," Pochowski said. "We have problems in our schools, but not to the point where we need to arm our teachers and principals."
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15142930/

I wonder where those statistics came from.

[cyphur]

"Statistically, the safest place for a child to be is in school," Pochowski said. "We have problems in our schools, but not to the point where we need to arm our teachers and principals."
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15142930/

I wonder where those statistics came from.

They probably compare violent crime rates in school against prison inmates, the "projects", dense gang areas, and other low income areas.

[Tote 9]

[quote="KinnyLee"]


Children in countries such as Israel and Thailand are far more vulnerable to daily violence than students in America, he said.



This is a touchy and debatable subject. This fellow ought to look up all of the
shootings in US. schools in the past 10 years and then say we aren't vulnerable to violence. I for one think teachers and principals should be allowed to carry a concealed weapon. They should be trained, ( throughly
trained) for every situation. One thought about this is , students and everyone else would know they may be carrying. This could cause some problems. As I said this is a debatable subject.
I can't help but think if a teacher or principal would have been armned the day when 15 Columnbine students were killed that some of them would be alive today. Just my thoughts. Sometimes I think we should go back to the old days when eveyone could tote a gun.

[longtooth]

Your keyboardmanship is really improving since joining up. Good job.