Although some may be uneasy about arming teachers at public schools, State Rep. Shane Stringer (R-Citronelle) insists there are scenarios where it would be appropriate, and he says he has forthcoming legislation to try to make it possible.
In the wake of last week's Covenant School shooting in Nashville, Tenn., the Mobile County Republican lawmaker said he would like to make it possible for former members of law enforcement, retired military or other occupations with background and training with firearms to be armed at schools.
"I think that we do have an opportunity here in Alabama and across the country to look at passing legislation that would allow certain teachers or employees of our school systems to be armed," Stringer said on Monday's broadcast of Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5's "The Jeff Poor Show." "It would kind of mimic the executive order the Governor put out a while back. You have somebody, just say, with my experience — 30 years of law enforcement experience. I served 10 years on the SWAT team and had every firearm training there is. If I was to retire today and take a position as a teacher, it makes no sense that I couldn't be able to protect our students and kids, our children. You have a lot of retired military guys, ex-military guys that have become teachers, and I think the opportunity is there. We have a lot of counties throughout Alabama that are rural, and the sheriff's departments may only have one or two employees on for the whole county and not a lot of other local law enforcement. I think this kind of fills in the gaps on some of those situations that would allow qualified people under certain situations training to be armed and potentially protect our students."
"This executive order that the Governor put out years ago with allowing administrators at these schools to be armed," he added. "If you have a scenario where administrators don't feel comfortable with firearms, they're not active in training around them, then I think there are other people who may be qualified at these schools that we need to consider and look at. We have got to do more to protect our children. You know, the situation in Nashville — that person passed up one school that was, in their opinion, I guess, better protected and went to the school least protected and performed the evil act they did."
Jeff Poor is the executive editor of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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