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Would Arming School Officials Possibly Prevent School Shootings? House Subcommittee Says Yes, but Opponents Aren't Convinced

April 3, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - A bill making its rounds through the Florida House of Representatives would allow for guns in schools.

Would guns carried by trained officials help prevent another school shooting?

State lawmakers hope legislation dubbed the School Safety Bill will do just that.

The bill would allow former or current military or law enforcement officers, appointed by the schools, to carry guns. They would have to go through 52 hours of various mandatory state-legislated training and get a carry-and-conceal permit before doing so.

Diana Moore of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association says the legislature is focusing on the wrong details about school shootings.

"You can put up as many fences, arm as many people as you want, but you won’t get to the root of the problem, that here are a lot of people with mental health issues," says Moore.

“It think we have to look at the root of the problem and make sure we have enough mental health counselors to identify some of these people who go on the grounds with some real issues."

The bill was approved 8-4 by the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. Its next stop is the Judiciary Committee.

 

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