Mentors, not guns, the solution
Gov. Dewine just signed a bill allowing teachers to be armed in the classroom, which creates more potential problems than it solves. Teachers will only be getting 24 hours of training, which doesn’t sound like a lot of training. Arming teachers does not address the reason the gunman picks up the gun and goes on a rampage, which is often connected to mental health issues.
Instead of arming teachers, set up more mentorship programs so more children benefit from programs like the After-school All Stars which gives kids a sense of belonging and helps them connect to others.
A child connected to others is less likely to pick up a gun and shoot up a school.
Jean Hoitsma, Columbus
Legislators will get to shrug their shoulders
Ohio’s Republican–dominated state legislature and Gov. Mike Dewine passed legislation authorizing teachers and other staff to carry firearms in their classrooms — after having only 24 hours of training — in spite of the fact that it is: opposed by the majority of
teachers, school administrators and the Fraternal Order of Police.
Twenty four hours of firearms training is barely enough to learn how not to hurt yourself.
There is no correlation between the duties and abilities of teachers and those of armed protectors — police officers.
Police officers receive many hours of situational training on the use of deadly force, but sometimes misjudge a situation, miss their target or shoot a fellow officer.
It does nothing to relieve the anxiety of students and parents that they may not see one another at the end of the school day.
What it does accomplish is allows Ohio legislators and Dewine, in the aftermath of a mass school shooting, to shrug their shoulders and say, “It's not our fault. We told you to arm the teachers.”
Neal Snyder, Columbus