Indivisible-Mandarin met with Senator Bean on February 28, 2019 in Senator’s Bean’s Fernandina office. Richard and Nancy wrote the one page summary and spoke asking Senator Bean to please vote NO on SB 7030. Richard and Nancy had many reasons why we should NOT be arming teachers. Link to Richard and Nancy’s summary: Indivisible-Mandarin met with our representative for our district
My position (as well as everyone in our group) is that we do NOT want teachers and other school personnel carrying guns into schools. My view IF we’re going to lose that battle, then (as Senator Bean said) it should only be an option if the teacher wants to do it and will undergo extensive training.
BUT please don’t just give funds to schools that agree to arm teachers. Give the funds for school safety equally per pupil. I am specifically addressing this part of the SB 7030:
Any additional funds appropriated to this allocation
772 in the 2018-2019 fiscal year must to the school resource officer
773 program established pursuant to s. 1006.12 shall be used
774 exclusively for employing or contracting for safe-school
775 resource officers
Schools should have flexibility in deciding how they think their school can best use the money to be safe. There is research available that prevention is a better path.
Quote from below link:
“School shootings are rare events that mobilize people to take action. Our research suggests it is time to focus on prevention and mental well-being.”
Unite Us Do Not Divide Us 