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Marxists - Socialists
Lawmaker Appears On National TV, Touts Arming Teachers
Area Teachers Wary Of Idea
POSTED: 5:58 pm CDT October 4, 2006
UPDATED: 2:41 pm CDT October 5, 2006
MADISON, Wis. -- Republican state Rep. Frank Lasee went on national television Thursday morning to weigh in on school security.
The lawmaker from Green Bay is calling for teachers to carry guns at school as a precaution.
He said it is a strategy that has worked in countries like Israel and Thailand.
Lasee's proposal would authorize, but not require, teachers to use firearms to defend against and subdue attackers.
"If a gunman comes to their school, there are people at the school that would be able to fight back and disarm them," Lasee said.
Teachers would first have to pass a background check and train in firearms safety, WISC-TV reported.
But many educators WISC-TV spoke with see the potential for more harm than good with the proposal.
Mendota Elementary teacher and local union president Dave Medearis worried the proposal would make it too easy for guns to fall into the wrong hands.
"School is the last place we want to have more guns available," Medearis said. "I left my cell phone in the teacher's lounge this morning by accident. I certainly wouldn't want a weapon left somewhere in the building by accident."
But Lasee said proper training will reduce the risk of an accident.
"That's where the training comes in. I think if you have the proper training and you are doing things right, that lessens that possibility," Lasee said.
Some schools, like Madison East, already have armed security. Madison police have one safety education officer at each of the city's four public high schools, and school board president Johnny Winston Jr. said that is the way it should stay.
"I think that position really does help keep our schools safe for our young people," he said. "I think that is what we should continue to do. I think arming our teachers is not a good situation."
Verona is another district that has an armed police officer at the high school. Superintendent Dean Gorrell said he is completely against Lasee's proposal, saying that a teacher's job is to teach, not to handle a gun.
Lasee said he plans to introduce the bill for co-sponsorship in January.
Area Teachers Wary Of Idea
POSTED: 5:58 pm CDT October 4, 2006
UPDATED: 2:41 pm CDT October 5, 2006
MADISON, Wis. -- Republican state Rep. Frank Lasee went on national television Thursday morning to weigh in on school security.
The lawmaker from Green Bay is calling for teachers to carry guns at school as a precaution.
He said it is a strategy that has worked in countries like Israel and Thailand.
Lasee's proposal would authorize, but not require, teachers to use firearms to defend against and subdue attackers.
"If a gunman comes to their school, there are people at the school that would be able to fight back and disarm them," Lasee said.
Teachers would first have to pass a background check and train in firearms safety, WISC-TV reported.
But many educators WISC-TV spoke with see the potential for more harm than good with the proposal.
Mendota Elementary teacher and local union president Dave Medearis worried the proposal would make it too easy for guns to fall into the wrong hands.
"School is the last place we want to have more guns available," Medearis said. "I left my cell phone in the teacher's lounge this morning by accident. I certainly wouldn't want a weapon left somewhere in the building by accident."
But Lasee said proper training will reduce the risk of an accident.
"That's where the training comes in. I think if you have the proper training and you are doing things right, that lessens that possibility," Lasee said.
Some schools, like Madison East, already have armed security. Madison police have one safety education officer at each of the city's four public high schools, and school board president Johnny Winston Jr. said that is the way it should stay.
"I think that position really does help keep our schools safe for our young people," he said. "I think that is what we should continue to do. I think arming our teachers is not a good situation."
Verona is another district that has an armed police officer at the high school. Superintendent Dean Gorrell said he is completely against Lasee's proposal, saying that a teacher's job is to teach, not to handle a gun.
Lasee said he plans to introduce the bill for co-sponsorship in January.
