I am writing to express my strong disagreement with the proposed “School Employee Firearm Possession Amendments” bill (HB0119), spearheaded by Rep. Tim Jimenez. The bill, which aims to establish a program to incentivize teachers to carry firearms on school grounds, is deeply concerning for several reasons.
The overwhelming consensus among school safety experts, including law enforcement, is against arming educators. Organizations such as the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association oppose this approach. The National Association of School Resource Officers and the Major Cities Chiefs Association, representing over 75 police forces in the USA, also express strong opposition, citing the increased risks to law enforcement, students, the school community and teachers.
Furthermore, the idea of a “highly trained” armed teacher is a myth. Even law enforcement officers who receive extensive training encounter challenges in accurately using firearms under stress. Expecting teachers with significantly less training to respond to violent incidents effectively is unrealistic and potentially dangerous. One only has to read through a few pages of the recently released Critical Incident Review from the Robb Elementary School shooting to see that.
Instead of arming teachers, I believe evidence-based intervention plans focusing on preventing gun violence before it occurs can help so much more. This includes enacting sensible gun laws, such as Extreme Risk laws, responsible firearm storage laws (with storage units being safer than the economy biometric safes provided), raising the minimum age for purchasing semi-automatic firearms, and requiring background checks on all gun sales.
I believe the “School Employee Firearm Possession Amendments” bill is a misguided approach that increases risks rather than mitigates them. I think legislators need to consider the evidence and expert opinions against arming teachers and to focus instead on evidence-based solutions to ensure the safety of our students and educators.
Savannah Pursglove, Provo
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