Following the several mass shootings that have taken place in recent months, the Biden administration has been adamant that the only way to fix the supposed gun problem in America is to ban certain assault rifles from being owned or purchased. After the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two adults dead, the White House pushed harder. President Joe Biden gave several speeches on the importance of gun restrictions in America. But while the Democrats aim to protect children by banning certain guns and putting more restrictions on owners, the answer was simple: arm the teachers for Laurens County, Georgia.
Although it might be surprising, since 2018, the Laurens County School Board has sought to train and arm staffers working in their schools. In the video, which can be watched below, Superintendent Clifford Garnto explained the program and how every person that is in training has to do a psychological examination, a background check, and pass the safety course before being allowed to carry.
The Superintendent added that the firearms are located in safe positions throughout the schools with a two-lock system. So far, there have been around 50 teachers throughout the district who have taken the course. That came to an average of five trained staffers per building. Garnto said, “We do feel like the procedures that we have in place that we can limit the damage. We’re in a rural community — guns are pretty common in most people’s homes, so it really wasn’t anything that was taboo. I think it’s one reason it went over so well here is because of our location, how comfortable the general population are with guns.”
Like many Americans, Garnto was devastated by the news in Uvalde, Texas, admitting, “Events like this bring you back in. You just have to reset yourself, reset your team, so that they are more aware of what’s going on.”
Speaking with reporters, Jennifer Bryant, a mother of two boys who go to Laurens County schools, noted, “We’re very fortunate of the forward-thinking of this board. My husband and I 100% support the Laurens County Board of Education in the decisions that they’ve made to help protect our children.” She added, “I know that they go through a wide variety of training so that they can be their best in these types of situations. At the end of the day, I know that the schools and the administrators, the staff and teachers are going to do what’s necessary to keep every child and my child safe.”
Users online shared their opinions, writing, “Hear! Hear! Good on this school. More need to take a stand for the kids. Truly a sad day when teachers have to come to work armed to protect the children. God bless each and every one of them and all the children in their care.”