After a great deal of thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that I support allowing teachers and school administrations to get the certifications needed to conceal carry (hidden) firearms as civilians, rather then as law enforcement in classrooms and school grounds. Here are some reasons why:

1. Concealed carry holders go through training and are knowledgeable about firearms. This is important in a mass shooting situation. People who don’t know the ins and outs of firearms often are afraid and unthinking should a situation occur. Many people unfamiliar with firearms believe many things that are untrue about firearms, and may make stupid decisions in an emergency situation involving a firearm.
2. A corollary to that point is that concealed carry holders are more able to judge the intent of somebody with a firearm. Sometimes a panicky person who doesn’t understand guns might do something that could make a situation more dangerous then it otherwise would be. Being able to think and provide a rational response during a situation, and avoiding escalation can help to save lives.
3. A person carrying a firearm for defense is going to be a high alert and more aware of his or her surrounding, as most concealed carry classes teach. Having greater situational awareness by teachers and school administration can help defuse situations before they become problematic.
4. Concealed carriers in school districts are anonymous civilians in plain clothes. Modern concealed carrying holsters are very discrete, and those with the training with no techniques to ensure nobody finds out if they are carrying. Students, parents, the media, and potential attackers and others would have no idea who is carrying or who is not. This makes it safer, as a potential criminal would have no idea while not creating a sense of fear in the classroom.
5. Training for concealed carrying teachers and school administrators is a low-cost proposition compared to more school resource officers. It doesn’t militarize our schools or put on a show of force, instead it provides a way for civilian professionals who work in these schools to be better observers of what is happening around them, and take steps in an emergency to help better keep them safe.
6. I am doubtful that a concealed carry teacher or school administrator could shoot back in an emergency situation, as many would envision. That’s not a realistic thing with a tiny, inaccurate concealed handgun compared to a high-powered deer rifle or modern sporting rifle used for coyote hunting. But a teacher or school administrator knowledgeable about firearms and in an heightened sense of awareness because of them carrying, could better spot things, take defensive measures and alert authorities with the big guns to come in and neutralize the threat.

In contrast, I don’t support increasing school resource officers, which are police officers that are assigned to school duty. We don’t need more criminalization of school age students, but we do need to keep them safe. It’s fine to have school administrators monitoring hallways from security centers, but we don’t need a show of force unless absolutely needed. Incidents should be addressed in as low-profile away as possible, to avoid interrupting the school day. We shouldn’t turn our schools into forts or prisons, but use hidden security like small spy cameras  embedded into walls and sensors that are completely invisible to students and the general public but provide monitoring and safety for school district.

The best security is often the most hidden security. Security that isn’t widely known, and place randomly enough that it isn’t easy to guess or figure out. Low-tech security like mirrors, straighter hallways, brighter lighting can also help. Criminals don’t like to be observed, they fear being caught before they can do their harm. Better building design works hand and hand with having more watchful eyes and plain-clothes professionals on high alert, keeping an eye on their surroundings. It can’t be repeated enough, that a show of force, isn’t really an effective form of security.

For too long, we’ve relied too heavily on police officers and the state to keep people safe, while ignoring the role that the average civilian could have in keeping our society safe. But let’s be honest, 80 year old grandmothers looking out their windows have stopped a lot of crime over the year — either by yelling at the kids to knock it off with their bb-guns shooting thing they shouldn’t be or calling the police when they see a house being broken into. Average citizens have a big role to crime prevention and providing violence.

Law enforcement is very expensive to taxpayers and has the full power of the state to go after individuals, when a simple conversation or observant individual citizens can be often much effective at resolving an issue then calling the police. Allow teachers and school administrators that want they privilege to take the training and become the watchful eyes we need in our schools to keep them safe.