OKLAHOMA CITY -
A proposed law to arm teachers in Oklahoma cleared a
legislative committee on Wednesday and already the debate has heated up.
Several superintendents in from rural and metro districts voiced concern over
the law on Friday. Classrooms
across the state could look a little different if a bill proposing armed
teachers passes and becomes law.
House Bill 1062, authored by Rep. Mark
McCullough from Sapulpa, would give local school districts the option to allow
teachers to be CLEET certified and bring a gun to school. It would not require
a teacher to do so, however.
2/6/2013 Related Story: Bill Allowing Armed teachers Clears Oklahoma Panel
Opponents
fired back, saying even one armed teacher at a school could change the entire
dynamic.
"I
think it is ridiculous and I think it is a very, very dangerous path to go down
and I think it's frightening for teachers to even hear about it and for
students to hear about it," said Dr. Freda Deskin.
With
more than four decades in education, Deskin said she was not alone in wondering
about the "what-ifs" as the bill moves forward.
"A gun
may misfire, shoot through the wall, shoot another student or another teacher.
I'm not sure I'd want to be in that classroom with even a teacher next door
with a gun that could misfire and harm one of my students or myself," Deskin said.
12/19/2012 Related Story: OK Teachers, Administrators Weigh In On 'Guns In Classrooms' Debate
According
to the National School Safety Center, school-aged children are 50 times more
likely to be killed outside of school. Deskin agreed with the findings and said
violent crime in schools has dropped since she started 42 years ago.
"Being
in school is safer than a student being in their yard, being at the bus stop,
being on a bus, being in a mall. So I do think we have to take all these things
into consideration."
McCullough did not respond to the
criticisms to his bill on Friday. The bill would have to pass several other
votes before becoming Oklahoma law.
12/17/2012 Related Story: Oklahoma Lawmaker To Propose Legislation Allowing Teachers, Principals To Carry Guns At Schools
Classrooms across the state could look a little different if a bill proposing armed teachers passes and becomes law.
