The Majority Of Americans Want Teachers Armed In Schools
Following the Uvalde, Texas school shooting, the majority of Americans are supportive of implementing armed teachers in classrooms.
It seems that after every mass school shooting in America, the biggest topic on everyone’s mind is gun laws. In the wake of the deadly mass elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas last week, that heated topic has once again become front and center in the United States. There are many opposing viewpoints on how to address the growing issue, and many feel that armed teachers is the solution. Now, a new poll conveys just how widespread that notion is, as the results show that the majority of Americans want to allow teachers to carry guns inside classrooms.
The recent poll was conducted by The Trafalgar Group in a joint effort with the Convention of States Action (COSA), as reported exclusively for The Daily Wire. Following the tragic aftermath of the Robb Elementary School shooting, the poll weighed in on public opinion, surveying 1,091 likely general election voters from May 25-29. The survey, which gathered opinions about armed teachers found that 57.5% of participants felt that if schools prevent properly trained and armed teachers from carrying legal firearms in schools, they would become either somewhat or much more dangerous.
The poll was enacted across party lines, gathering opinions from all voters. However, the report failed to specify the exact breakdown of political viewpoints, making it unclear whether or not it was weighted evenly across political standings. Furthermore, the results showed that many Americans are up in the air as to their standpoint. Alternatively to those in support of armed teachers, 30.8% said they felt that doing so would have the opposite effect, making schools more dangerous.
Along party lines, Republicans were the most supportive of having armed teachers in classrooms. 67.5% of them believed it will make schools a safer place. As for Republicans against arming educators, only 19.4% were said to be opposed to it. Democrats also showed plenty of support for armed teachers. 48.2% told the pollsters they were in favor of the measure.
As for age demographics, the most supportive age group in favor of armed teachers was the youngest of the surveyed. Almost 62% of those aged 18-24 were supportive of teachers carrying weapons in school. As violence in America rises, it is more common to find young Americans, even progressive ones in favor of the right to bear arms. However, these findings don’t necessarily mean that supporters are against stricter gun policies.
A common sentiment touted by conservative media outlets and Republican lawmakers is that liberals and progressives want to ban guns. But in many instances, Democratic-leaning citizens are pro-gun rights. Instead, they tend to support the idea of seeing more laws being passed that would ban or restrict the usage and sale of assault rifles, which are often the style of weapon used in mass school shootings. Likewise, this newfound data only serves to disprove this longstanding notion that liberals wish to strip Americans’ gun rights, as nearly the majority of polled Democrats approved of armed teachers in classrooms.
Showing his similar support for implementing armed teachers into classrooms, COSA President Mark Meckler released a statement following the release of the poll data, saying, “No shooting at a school is going to be stopped by gun control laws. They are going to be stopped by a variety of fairly simple on-site measures, including arming law-abiding citizens–in this case specifically teachers–and empowering them to protect our children, schools, and communities.” More clear now than ever before, it is evident that more districts across the nation may look to enact policies that will allow teachers to carry in school. But whether or not it will be effective in deterring mass shootings is something only time will tell.
