When the New York Times reported earlier this week that the U.S. Department of Education was “considering whether to allow states to use federal funding to purchase guns for educators, according to multiple people with knowledge of the plan,” it ignited hysteria among anti-gun Democrats and gun prohibition lobbying groups.
The Washington Times ran a story quoting Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) declaring, “we’ve authorized Title IV dollars with the assumption that a crazy idea like this would never be authorized by the secretary,” Mr. Murphy said. “We’re in a different world now where DeVos is trying to play to Trump’s base as a means of saving him politically.”
The story also quoted anti-gun California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who commented that such an effort would “pad the pockets of gun manufacturers and the gun lobby, not protect our children.”
John Feinblatt, president of anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety, huffed, “This is outrageous. America’s teachers are already forced to spend their own meager salaries on basic school supplies, but the Trump administration would rather use taxpayer money to buy them guns.”
According to NorthJersey.com, Marie Blistan, president of the New Jersey Education Association, “condemned the proposal as ‘dangerous’.”
There appears to be just one problem with all of this. It may be much ado about nothing. According to USA Today, “But the U.S. Department of Education indicated that there was no substance to the reports, which were apparently sparked by a question from the Texas Education Agency about whether its schools were allowed to use federal grants for firearms.”
It may be an example of how a story takes on a life of its own, and in the view of some people, becomes “fake news.” The furor also revealed once again how the gun control crowd goes off half-cocked at any mention of firearms, especially if they are related to school safety measures. The idea of allowing volunteer teachers to be armed as a first line of defense for students is taboo.
The USA Today story noted that the Texas Education Agency “never made any formal request to the federal department on the issue. Instead, a spokeswoman for the Texas agency said state officials were just passing on questions from some of their school districts about whether they could use federal school safety grants to buy firearms.”
“TEA simply sought clarification on allowable uses of Title IV funding for school safety purposes,” said agency spokeswoman Ronnie Burchett, according to the USA Today report. “These were questions being presented to us by some of our school systems. To date, USDE has not provided us with a final answer on this specific issue.”
The USA Today report also said so-called “gun safety groups” had “reacted with alarm.” Then it quoted former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who now heads a gun control lobbying group named for her. She said simply that “arming teachers is not a solution.”
The Washington Times report noted that the Education Department “would not confirm the plans…reported by the New York Times, saying only that it is ‘constantly considering and evaluating policy issues.’”
Anti-gunners fired back, the newspaper said, arguing that “guns in the hands of school officials and workers won’t stop shootings.”
So far, neither have any gun control laws.
Would you support federal education funds being used to arm teachers? How would it be any different than using the funds for other types of school security? Share your answers in the comment section.
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Dave Workman is the Senior Editor at the Liberty Park Press.
Half cocked liberals up in arms about proposals for safety and protection. What is their noble plan?
Screaming at the sky!
For the first time the government is actually taking action to protect our kids and the dems go nuts! I don’t need one more shed of evidence than this to show me this is just a talking point for the dems and another avenue for them toward total gun confiscation.
It’s about time they should make a step in the right direction. On a volunteer basis and with proper training teachers could be an excellent first line of defense in case of an emergency.
Dip spit Democrats what else do we expect out of them .losers
“Would you support federal education funds being used to arm teachers? How would it be any different than using the funds for other types of school security?”
Yes I would support this.
It would be different because it’s an immediate response to an immediate threat. I’ve already proposed to others that this be done.
However, to further elaborate, it should be done with a ubiquitous pistol (Springfield, S&W M&P, Glock) in 9mm (for recoil control) and place a biometric safe mounted in each classroom. Further, at the beginning of each school year, you program this device with that teacher’s fingerprint and that of her neighbors on either side as well as the 3 across the hall. No substitute prints needed unless they are considered faculty. You may also utilize an AR platform rifle using any one of the biometric wall/rifle locks.
Finally, pay the teachers but provide the ammunition for mandatory 2 hours training at a range with NRA certified instructors on gun safety and active shooter training once every other week on a Saturday morning for the 1st 6 months. Thereafter, once a month proficiency refreshment at range (paid).
Bad guys wouldn’t know if door #1 or door #3 will be the boobie prize. (Let’s Make A Deal reference).
Pretty simple folks. Education is the great eliminator of ignorance but you’ll never fix stupid. Once you’ve educated the educators that are ignorant, my guess is 60%+ would no longer be hoplophobic.
F@ckn A I support arming volunteer teachers who want carry. How many gun shops get shot up by deranged individuals in the course of year or police stations? These murderers always pick a weak target, harden our schools the fuck up, there is nothing more precious to us than our kids
J.D. My thoughts also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And yet the Left loves to import Illegal Aliens, including gangsters (and expend tax dollars for their food, housing, education).
But let anyone propose the ONLY actually effective method of PROTECTING our kids, and they melt down.
Targets do not shoot back – arm yourselves, educators !
I would be glad to pay for a Glock pistol or AR 15 carbine for my local school out of my own funds.
Having school personnel shoot back is the best defense against armed maniacs