At Umqua Community College in Oregon, Oct. 1, 2015, gunman Christopher Harper Mercer barged into classrooms demanding that Christians show themselves before killing 10 people including himself.

President Obama gave a speech to address this shooting, saying that our “thoughts and prayers are not enough.” President Obama looks to the legislation and Congress for laws supporting gun control, using examples of various countries who exercise gun control and have seen a decrease in mass murders as a result. He says he will bring up gun control each time this happens again and inquires of us as citizens: how do we stop these gun shootings?

While many are for gun control, there is still an issue in regards to who should have guns and for what reasons they should have guns. While some people argue that guns keep us safe, guns in any hands could be a risk, so how do we determine who should have a license to have a gun?

Argyle ISD has allowed for teachers to start carrying guns, noting that most school shootings take place in about five minutes, and police there take approximately 10 minutes to arrive to the situation, they implemented gun use on school campuses for extra security.

Considering these schools in Texas and their reasons for gun security, we must consider for Allen whether our security is enough to cover us in case of an event that a school shooting does occur. How does our security guard the school? For instance, is there a security guard guarding each door, are the cameras in place well and able to communicate efficiently for fast action? Also, ID badges, to what extent have they helped us and our security to screen for suspicious activity or suspicious persons, one thing for consideration is how easy is it for someone to copy someone else’s badge to gain entrance into our schools. To what extent do badges protect us from outsiders?

There are many issues with this, including whether or not it is ethical for teachers to have guns around students. Whether or not the teachers should have guns must first be addressed with what qualifications they should have in order to hold a gun in the classroom.

One pro is that it allows for protection from outsiders coming in. It also gives us the advantage of not being defenseless in the classroom if teachers have guns in holsters. By the teachers having it in possession at all times, there is more access to defense should it be necessary.

If it were a requirement for teachers, one con would be that it would require more time and outside work for the teachers. If it were an option, teachers who are comfortable carrying guns (and willing to) for the safety of the students would have that ability, allowing for teachers that are not comfortable with their abilities in gun safety the option of withdrawing from any training or licensing given by the school for gun use.

Personally, I think that if teachers are willing to put time and effort into the responsibilities of having a gun in the classroom, it shows that they care about their students’ safety and the well-being of this school. I wouldn’t mind the teacher having a gun so long as the gun does not interfere class work or stir up more fear of attacks in the classrooms.

As far as the students are concerned, guns reduce anxiety and feelings of outside threats. It also might do the opposite for some students and make them feel uncomfortable and unsafe in the classroom when the teacher is in possession of a gun. There are many issues related to gun control in Texas, especially since America’s first mass college shooting took place in Austin.

These are only a few of the questions and concepts that must be considered for implementing gun safety in our schools, and this does not include consideration all of the state or local laws on the subject.