Florida state Senate votes against arming most classroom teachers

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

POLITICS MARCH 5, 2018 / 1:15 PM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

Florida state Senate votes against arming most classroom teachers

Zachary Fagenson
5 MIN READ

PARKLAND, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida’s Republican-controlled Senate approved sweeping reforms to the state’s gun law on Monday that raise the minimum purchase age and add a three-day waiting period in response to the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history last month.

Senators approved the legislation after an amendment removed a provision to arm most teachers. That was designed in part to increase support from many parents, law enforcement officials and lawmakers in both parties - including Republican Governor Rick Scott - who objected to the idea.

The exclusion was adopted by voice vote as part of a package of legislation the Senate passed a short time later, 20-18, to raise the minimum legal age for buying all guns in Florida to 21 and impose a three-day waiting period for any gun purchase.

The bill now moves to Florida’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-florida/florida-state-senate-votes-against-arming-most-classroom-teachers-idUSKBN1GH2TH

[BigmanPigman]

1. Now the state House will have to weigh in.

[cbreezen]

2. "Voice Vote"... Heaven forbid we identify ourselves! nt

[Puha Ekapi_2]

3. Teachers...

...are generally not of the same mindset and makeup as security people, and I don't think arming them is a particularly good or viable idea. I do favor having dedicated, well trained, armed security personnel in schools though, as well as other measures to physically harden the premises.

As for raising the age to 21 to buy any firearm, on the face of it I'm not opposed to that either, but I think if they are going to do that, the age of majority needs to be raised to 21 as well. If at 18 you are not old enough to make an adult, responsible decision regarding an enumerated civil right, you probably aren't adult enough and responsible enough to be voting.

[Straw Man]

4. Well ...

I'm a teacher (community college), and while I have no desire to perform security functions, I wouldn't mind being able to carry my legal, registered, concealed firearm, subject to the same restrictions and responsibilities as when I carry it anywhere else. The purpose would be to have at least some chance to save my own life and that of others in the worst-case scenario of an active shooter coming into my classroom with the intention of killing everyone therein.

That said, I live in New York State, where campus carry has about the same probability of coming to pass as Donald Trump has of being accepted into Mensa. Not that it matters greatly to me one way or another, since I think that the statistical likelihood of being the victim of an active shooter attack is very low.

If at 18 you are not old enough to make an adult, responsible decision regarding an enumerated civil right, you probably aren't adult enough and responsible enough to be voting.

Or serving in the military.