{"id":536,"date":"2025-09-24T19:16:04","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T19:16:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sleepystork.com\/?p=536"},"modified":"2025-09-25T10:15:55","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T10:15:55","slug":"the-proven-solution-to-school-safety-is-arming-teachers-opinion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sleepystork.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/24\/the-proven-solution-to-school-safety-is-arming-teachers-opinion\/","title":{"rendered":"The proven solution to school safety is arming teachers (Opinion)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since 1999, hundreds of school shootings have scarred American communities, yet schools with armed staff have a perfect record: zero shootings.<\/p>\n

In an editorial this month — Colorado learned long ago that no school is safe from gun violence, a lesson Jeffco should have heeded<\/a> — The Denver Post Editorial Board argued that while placing a law enforcement officer in every school poses significant financial challenges for school districts, they see no viable alternative.<\/p>\n

The Denver Post described several benefits of having a School Resource Officer (SRO) on duty on every school campus. Beyond offering students law enforcement role models, the presence of a uniformed, armed defender on campus serves as a powerful deterrent to violence. Even the mere sight of a marked patrol car in a school parking lot can give would-be evildoers pause.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not a cure-all.<\/p>\n

In Colorado\u2019s Arapahoe High School Shooting in 2013, there was an SRO on the large campus. Although the shooter didn\u2019t begin his attack near the SRO, the officer\u2019s approach \u2013 heard by the shooter over the radio \u2013 helped limit the scope of the attack. One student, 17-year-old Claire Davis, was shot and subsequently died from her injuries. The SRO\u2019s presence was instrumental in ending the attack before more lives could be lost or children injured. However, SROs are not a panacea, because they are human \u2013 they step away, eat lunch, or patrol large campuses, and their conspicuous presence makes them easy to avoid. There\u2019s a better solution: armed, qualified school staff.<\/p>\n

The Crime Prevention Research Center reports that none of the hundreds of schools nationwide with volunteer armed staff has experienced a shooting during school hours \u2013 a 100% success rate over decades. In Colorado\u2019s 50 districts with armed, trained volunteer staff, including rural and suburban schools alike, safety records remain unblemished.<\/p>\n

In these 50 districts, schools with armed staff have protection on site throughout the school day, thanks to the presence of multiple armed defenders. And they conceal carry. No one, aside from the security team, knows who they are. This adds an extra layer of protection for students and faculty, creating an environment where any attacker must contend with the likelihood of a rapid confrontation.<\/p>\n

There are nearly 500 of these heroes in Colorado schools today. These volunteers are hand-picked, thoroughly vetted, and must commit to a rigorous training schedule. Critics worry about safety, but FASTER Colorado\u2019s arduous vetting and training ensure only the most qualified carry concealed weapons. In 20 years, no armed staff program has reported a safety incident. In most communities, awareness that schools have armed staff reinforces the deterrent effect.<\/p>\n

Although armed staffers continue to increase in numbers, why hasn\u2019t the idea gained broader mainstream acceptance? At FASTER Colorado, we often hear that the media largely fail to share information that could raise awareness and interest in these programs. Reporters rarely highlight armed staff programs, leaving parents unaware of a proven remedy. Instead, headlines focus on tragedies and their painful aftermaths instead of prevention.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time to spotlight the heroes quietly protecting our schools. Network and cable news rarely cover how widespread armed staff policies are, how safely these programs have been implemented across the country, or how some attackers may choose targets based on perceived security weaknesses. We also seldom hear the stories of the brave men and women working in schools, who willingly run toward the sound of gunfire to save children. That needs to change.<\/p>\n