Issue of arming teachers will create stir

Arming teachers.
Who would’ve ever thought we’d see a time when we had to use those two words in the same sentence, let alone choose to use them together. But, it has come to that.
The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee had an interim study hearing about a proposal to allow for school teachers to be armed in an apparent effort to head off school shootings in Nebraska. Those who testified disagreed on the need, but said if it is going to happen it should be up to the school districts and not the state to decide.
Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings said he plans to introduce the measure in January to give school boards the authority to allow school employees to carry concealed weapons on school grounds. He said staff would have to volunteer to be armed and would have to undergo training and background checks.
Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers set the tone for what could be a nasty floor debate should the measure get that far.
In sparring with Halloran, Chambers called the proposal “insanity” and questioned whether rural schools would be targets of mass shooters, who he said typically want to kill as many people as possible.
A floor debate will bring out all the labels. Those darned liberals will want to take away everybody’s guns because “guns kill kids.” You know how I feel about that one. People with guns kill kids. And those conservatives, who count every bullet they own, will want to cling to their rights.
I come from a family of teachers. An older brother and an older sister and cousins and other relatives are either retired or currently active teachers. I used to hunt and I married into a family of hunter-gatherers. My wife was an officer of either her high school or college gun club and she has an advanced bar on her marksman award.
Believe me, I’ve heard the arguments. I’ve seen the emotion. I’ve seen the televised and printed reports on the horrific aftermath of school shootings. I know that folks who take a stand on one side or the other will subject themselves to ridicule and scorn. That, sadly, is life in the political arena.

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