One response to school shootings in America: arm the teachers

Nestled among golden-coloured earth and desert scrub, the Thistle Gun Range, an hour’s drive south of Salt Lake City, gives off “wild-west” vibes. Add the wind softly blowing through thigh-high weeds, the sound of gunshots ringing through the canyon and six-foot-tall deputies from the Utah County Sheriff’s department wearing cowboy hats, and it is easy to see why your correspondent felt immersed in a western. Only this was no rodeo. It was a live range day for teachers and other school staff learning how to shoot.

Since 2019 Sheriff Mike Smith of Utah County and his colleagues have taught teachers how to defend themselves against active shooters. That includes learning how to safely carry and use a concealed weapon inside schools. In the state of Utah, school staff can carry a concealed weapon if they have a permit, but this licensing process is not enough, says Sheriff Smith. “You don’t actually have to go shoot a gun and show that you can proficiently hit a target in a classroom setting.” Teachers are also not trained how to respond to an active shooter or carry a weapon in a school. His class aims to do that.