In Florida, state lawmakers passed wide-reaching safety and security reforms that also required schools to post at least one armed guard on campus every day.
Duval has three options:
Arming other personnel that have other jobs to fulfill
We are opposed to option #3. The school board previously affirmed that they also are opposed to option #3. Hershey discussed arming teachers at the agenda meeting on September 20th. Hershey says the board may be voting on whether or not to arm teachers. Here’s a video of incoming board member April Carney that says she wants to arm teachers: https://youtu.be/dtuHk38kDyM
We don't need to arm teachers. We need to raise the wage from $15 to $20 if we're having a hard time hiring School Safety Assistants. Requirements and duties are listed at this link. That's a lot for $15 an hour.
Following the Florida legislature’s reckless and unpopular decision to allow Florida teachers to be armed in schools, a Wall Street Journal analysis found that a majority of Florida schools have rejected the option to arm teachers. Florida schools are implementing evidence-based solutions rather than relying on a gun lobby policy that is ineffective and risky. School boards and superintendents have overwhelmingly sided with educators, veterans, survivors of gun violence and volunteers with the Florida chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, who spent the summer educating district leaders about the risks of arming teachers.
There is a reason the Supreme Court and other government entities only allow police officers to carry guns into the building. There is a reason the justices aren't fighting to be able to carry weapons into their chambers.. Please tell the school district that the schools need to follow the same rules: only law enforcement should be carrying weapons in the schools.
Thank you,
Susan Education chair