Member Center

Local News

Teachers with guns, allowed under proposed new law

Posted: Feb 18, 2013 7:35 PM by Rebecca Taylor
Updated: Feb 18, 2013 9:43 PM

Bookmark and Share
Rating:

4.0 (1 vote)

TUCSON - A proposed new law would permit Arizona school teachers to pack heat in the classroom.

The idea is the brainchild of Representative David Stevens of Sierra Vista and Attorney General Tom Horne.

Districts could voluntarily designate any employee to receive weapons training and keep them in a lockbox on campus, that includes teachers, principals or even school maintenance staff.

Arizona lawmakers want to prevent another mass shooting. But Tucsonans we talked with have mixed reactions to this idea.

On the soccer field parents cheer on their athletes.

In the classroom school security is top of mind.

Tucson father Stacy Reilly is in favor of arming schools.

"Somebody should, somebody responsible should have a gun on the premises," says Reilly.

He's not alone. Tucson dad Shahid Chaudhry says, "I think I'd feel more safe, more secure that my kids where they're going to school, someone's going to be able to defend them if something happens."

But the idea of firearms on campus doesn't set well with everyone.

Stacy Daugherty fears the effort could back-fire, creating more danger than it prevents.

"It scares me because I'm afraid that whoever is going against them, just might take the gun and use it back on them," says Daugherty.

She likes the idea of security officers, acting as a deterrent in all Arizona schools.

"And as a last resort ever I could see that being something reasonable. I think it's sad we've had to come to this in this day and age," says Daugherty.

Attorney General Tom Horne said district employees would go through a free 24-hour training course run by his investigators.

Comments

KVOA.com is Social!

Most Popular

DON'T MISS THESE!

Thumbnail
FC TUCSON

Check out the latest events FC Tucson has scheduled.

Thumbnail
SUBMIT NEWS TIP

Click here to submit a news tip to us!

Thumbnail
NEWS 4 TUCSON ON FACEBOOK

Become a Facebook Fan!

Thumbnail
@KVOA ON TWITTER

Follow us!

Thumbnail
BECOME A MEMBER

Sign up on KVOA.com for newsletters, exclusive deals, and more!

Thumbnail
KVOA.COM LATEST CONTESTS

Win! Win! Win!

Thumbnail
KVOA MOBILE APPS

Get news, weather and more on your smartphone and tablet!

Thumbnail
TEXT ALERTS

Get texts for news, traffic, deals and more!

Thumbnail
KRISTI'S KIDS

Stories and videos with Kristi's Kids

Thumbnail
NEWS 4 TUCSON @ 4

What's happening on News 4 @ 4

Thumbnail
ADVERTISE WITH KVOA.COM

Let us help grow your business

Thumbnail
COMMUNITY CALENDAR

What's happening?

Thumbnail
KVOA PROGRAM SCHEDULE

What's on KVOA and when!

Thumbnail
CONTACT US

Contact info for our department heads

Thumbnail
FCC ONLINE PUBLIC FILE

FCC Public File of Records, Reports, and More

Thumbnail
MEET US!

KVOA's on air personalities!

Thumbnail
KVOA CAREERS

Work at News 4 Tucson

Thumbnail
RSS FEEDS

Complete feeds of all KVOA.com stories