Should Central Bucks Teachers Carry Guns?

Ed Mackouse stood before the Central Bucks School Board this week and said that teachers and administrators should carry guns in the district's schools.

"Everyone knows that the NRA is right. The only way to stop a gun is with another gun," said Mackouse, 69.

"We can’t afford to have too many armed professional guards," continued Mackouse, who lives in Buckingham, "and they’re not as good, they can’t tell the difference" between a threatening individual and parents and other school visitors.

So arming teachers and school staff is a good solution, Mackouse said.

The nine school board members made no comment on his suggestions Tuesday night, and no official action is on the table for Central Bucks.

But state legislators are talking about the issue, which was propelled to the forefront of public policy after the massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators on Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.

Newly elected state Rep. Greg Lucas, R-Erie, plans to introduce legislation that would make it legal for teachers and administrators to carry weapons in the classroom, reports Pennsylvania Independent.

"As we consider ways to improve school safety, I believe we have to consider trusting school personnel to serve as a first line of defense. We trust them to protect our children every day. I think we need to offer them the tools to carry out that sacred trust," Lucas wrote in a memo being circulated among members of the state House.

In addition, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, plans to introduce legislation that would allow school districts to hire retired police officers and others with law-enforcement experience to guard schools.

Meanwhile, Central Bucks has moved ahead with one additional security measure. The district is spending about $11,500 to equip its 23 schools with a buzz-in locked entry system.

CB superintendent Dr. Rodney Green acknowledged that the buzzer system won't stop all threats but said it was "something we could do fairly inexpensively that would enhance" the district's other security procedures.

So, what do you think? How do we keep our children safe? Is arming teachers and school administrators a viable solution? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Related Stories:

• School Board Approves Secure Entry System
• CB Schools Getting Secure Entrances