Arming school teachers will be considered | Georgia

(The Center Square) – Options for school teachers to be armed, and school methods to permit it, will be considered through Georgia lawmakers.

Republicans proposed a state-funded licensed firearms coaching program for teachers as a part of a proposed School Safety Initiative. Lawmakers plan to introduce the proposal all the way through subsequent yr’s legislative consultation, announcing it builds on earlier reforms educators have handed.

The proposed program would be an opt-in measure through the teachers and school machine. It would permit native school methods to decide whether or not teachers will have to be authorised to hold firearms as a security measure on campus.

“This legislation and associated state funding will ensure that our school systems and teachers have the necessary resources and training to increase safety across Georgia,” Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones stated in a statement. “Systems and individuals will have the option of participating in the training, certification and stipend, and we hope that the General Assembly will support these efforts to build on recent school safety reforms.”

According to a spokeswoman for Jones, teachers will obtain $10,000 once a year for the brand new stipend in the event that they take part. The proposal would increase different present school protection grant systems to permit faculties to make use of that cash to rent POST-certified safety staff, regardless that an exact quantity is as but undetermined.

POST is an acronym for Peace Officer’s Standards and Training.

“We fundamentally believe that firearms in the hands of law-abiding Georgians can save lives,” Jerry Henry, government director of GA2A, a pro-gun rights team, stated in a commentary to The Center Square. “That’s why we support lawful weapons carriers exercising their Second Amendment Rights at work.”

Georgia Democrats criticized the proposal.

“Teachers aren’t trusted to read certain books in class but they can carry guns to protect themselves and their students?” Georgia House Democrats requested in a social media post. “Republicans continue to show they are extreme and out of touch with reality. They could just do something about guns but that will be too much like right.”

Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators, known as the proposal “a simplistic solution to a complex problem,” suggesting that the state as an alternative use the cash to rent extra counselors, social staff and school psychologists.

“What I hear all the time is teachers are buried under the weight of increased expectations,” Morgan advised The Center Square. “Teachers feel like, ‘OK, I have to be the nurse today. I’m the counselor because we don’t have enough counselors. I have all these responsibilities that have been added to my plate on top of what I’m here to do, which is teach students.’

“So, the first reaction is, ‘Oh, so now you’re going to add security guard in my job description,’” Morgan added. “It is not a good idea for the health and safety of everyone in our schools to introduce more weapons in our schools, and it is certainly not something that is going to assist with reducing the level of burnout and retaining current educators, and it is not something that is going to assist us in recruiting and attracting new educators to our profession.”