Negative consequences outweigh guns in school

RE: PRESIDENT Trump’s recommendation of arming school teachers to protect students, I emphatically believe it makes no sense and (is) not thought out. Teachers already have a daunting and overwhelming task in educating students in the climate of school shootings, bullying through social media and worrying about the possibility of deportation of themselves, siblings and parents.

Teachers must work with students on these challenges in addition to helping them concentrate on learning. They should not have to worry about the possibility of using lethal force on another student. No training on a firing range can equip a teacher for this and the psychological ramifications of such an action. Police go through months of ... training preparing for such a situation.

As a trained teacher and trained military veteran, I would not feel comfortable having a weapon in the classroom. The opportunity for negative consequences far outweighs the minuscule chance of unarming an intruder with a semi-automatic weapon. Just getting to the bullets with all the chaos and adrenaline in the classroom would be a challenge, let alone aiming at a shooter with students all around. A handgun requires precision, where a machine gun does not. The chances of taking out a shooter with a gun in a crowded hallway full of students is extremely low. Arming teachers is a non-starter and only used to distract from the real issue of civilians with semi-automatic weapons.

PATRICIA GASTON Albuquerque