In 2018, an NPR/Ipsos poll found that 59% of Americans were opposed to arming teachers to protect schools from mass shootings. The poll found only one demographic supported the idea: Republicans — particularly Republican men.
But things may have changed since the school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where the response of local law enforcement has come under fire.
For our VIPs: We Need to Harden Soft Targets
According to a new poll conducted by The Trafalgar Group in partnership with Convention of States Action (COSA), 57.5% of voters believe schools are more dangerous without properly trained teachers carrying firearms, while only 30.8% think they are less dangerous. An additional 11.6% weren’t sure.
An overwhelming majority of Republicans favor arming teachers, while nearly half of Democrats do.
New @trafalgar_group/ @COSProject #poll finds majority of #Americans believe #armededucators make schools safer. Respondents said preventing teachers from carrying #firearms in #schools makes schools:
57.5% More dangerous
30.8% Less dangerousSee report: https://t.co/3BApurrJ7I pic.twitter.com/A3vWgrfj8G
— The Trafalgar Group (@trafalgar_group) June 2, 2022
“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,” COSA President Mark Meckler told the Daily Wire. “A majority of voters see this clearly, despite the relentless propaganda by people who want to confiscate the guns of law-abiding citizens.”
But while Americans have started to see the importance of protecting schools, the one thing that stands in the way is the teachers. According to a 2018 National Education Association poll, roughly three out of four educators oppose arming teachers and school staff.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member