More than 200 teachers arrived to take a gun training course in Utah, spurred to take up arms in their schools after the tragic mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. two weeks ago.
Utah is one of the few states that allow concealed weapons on school grounds with a permit, so teachers who own guns or who are interested in buying a gun reviewed safety procedures and operation at the event organized by the Utah Shooting Sports Council.
"I feel like I would take a bullet for any student in the school district," said Kasey Hansen, a teacher in Salt Lake City, speaking to Reuters.
"If we should ever face a shooter like the one in Connecticut, I'm fully prepared to respond with my firearm," she said.
Clark Aposhian led the event, waiving the usual $50 fee. "I genuinely felt depressed at how helpless those teachers were and those children were in Newtown," Aposhian said. "It doesn't have to be that way."
But most educators are not in favor of having more guns in schools, whoever is wielding them.
"It's a terrible idea," said Carol Lear, a lawyer for the Utah Office of Education. "It's a horrible, terrible, no-good, rotten idea."
Kerrie Anderson, a Utah teacher, agrees. "How would I keep that gun safe?" she said. "I wouldn't carry it on my person while teaching, where a disgruntled student could overpower me and take it. And if I have it secured in my office, it might not be a viable form of protection."
Lawmakers responded to the Newtown shooting by calling for stringer gun control measures. President Obama asked Congress to reinstate the ban on assault weapons that expired under George W. Bush.
But the National Rifle Association, the largest and most influential gun rights lobbying organization, claims that more guns equals more safety. Wayne LaPierre, the CEO of the NRA, called for armed guards in every school in America in a press conference after the shooting.
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