Trump shooting from the hip on teachers

The latest suggestion from President Trump regarding the recent school shooting is a horrific one – gun-toting teachers. Even if they were well trained and able to carry concealed weapons, we would see ‘‘To Sir with love’’ becoming ‘‘Do you feel lucky Punk’’.

The role of teachers is broad but it should be positive in all respects. Yes, teachers do stand in front of gunmen to protect students and again in the latest school shooting teachers saved many students, even if it cost them their own lives. But it should never, never happen in a civilised world.

First responders, particularly police and soldiers, are brave and perhaps that’s ‘‘just part of the job’’, although it’s never really that easy. How do we get to a world where police just spend their time rescuing cats and booking jaywalkers?

What Trump should do is determine why this seems such a problem in the US when there are many other countries with a high level of personal gun ownership but not the same level of mass shootings, and do something about it.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne

In the line of fire

If you are intent on shooting as many pupils as possible but you are aware that the teacher may be armed, who do you shoot first? Who on earth needs an AR15 unless they are in the military.

John Alderson

Nelson

Root of the problem

So why do Americans feel the need to always have a loaded gun close to hand?

For a country that is addicted to the pursuit of pleasure, and ignoring the 10 per cent in any society who enjoy killing things, the only answer I can see is old-fashioned puritanism. Or the remorse and guilt which follows overindulgence of the senses.

Simon Rolleston

Bromley

Target practice

At primary school in the 1950s I remember one teacher who would qualify for President Trump’s bonus for marksmanship.

He could throw a piece of chalk and accurately hit any pupil he didn’t think was paying attention.

Opawa