US rejects gun control measures on assault rifles

[Rupert_Baehr]

Are you suggesting they shouldn't be trained, despite not requiring training to obtain the permit for a concealed weapon in the first place?

 

...

 

He appears to be suggesting that teachers should not be obliged to be trained in firearms use. There are a large number of people in the US who own guns, but there are also a large number of people who do not.

 

Other than those teachers who became teachers through the 'troops to teachers' scheme, teachers - particularly female primary school teachers - probably do not come very high on the list of those who are likely to be carrying a firearm.

 

Onewheel Dave suggested that a teacher with a handgun is better than nothing. That is perhaps so, but if schools need security personnel, then they need personnel who are fully-trained - and an there's a bit of a difference between the skill and competence levels of somebody who has completed a firearm safety course and somebody who has been trained to use firearms to protect others.

 

In the community in which I live (a 'village' with about 700 houses) we have very little (practically no) crime. Access to the community is controlled and the community itself is patrolled by (albeit unarmed) security personnel. (Well, they don't carry arms openly.) The security guards are a deterrent.

 

I've no idea what the firearm ownership rate in my community is, but it is probably rather higher than the national average. The levels of competence and skills with firearms are probably fairly high, the local crooks know that and those facts may also have a strong deterrent effect.

 

The state of Florida has a 'stand your ground' law. - Prior to that law, if you were attacked by an armed person outside your house then you'd better be able to 'jump tall buildings at a single bound; run faster than a speeding bullet etc' because you were expected to run away from your assailant.

 

Under 'stand your ground' somebody who is attacked and who believes his/her life is in danger may respond using lethal force. It has reduced the number of (successful) muggings significantly. Unfortunately, the law is [or rather those who invoke it are] far from perfect and there have been a number of cases where the court ruled that the force used was not justified and the person using it has been convicted and imprisoned for unlawful wounding or killing.