Bradenton Native's Bill Would Allow School Employees to Carry Guns
Rep. Greg Steube filed a bill in the Florida House that would let principals designate a licensed employee to carry a firearm on campus.
Florida teachers would be allowed to carry guns in schools if a bill filed Wednesday by Rep. Greg Steube (R—Dist. 73) passes.
HB 1097 would allow principals or district superintendents to designate school personnel who would be authorized to carry a concealed weapon or firearm.
According to the bill proposed by the Bradenton native and now Sarasota resident, those employees would need to be licensed or have a concealed weapon permit.
The bill would also require school districts to place a safety officer at every school unless the principal has designated another school employee to be armed.
"I think a lot of parents and teachers understand we have a hole in our security," Steube was quoted as saying by Bay News 9. "We need to do something."
In Manatee County, each middle school, high school or cluster of elementary schools has an assigned school resource officer from the Manatee County Sheriff's Office or local police department.
Read more in Bay News 9's story.
Do you think this is the right move? Sound off in the comments section below.
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Nunya Biznazz
9:29 am on Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Armed security guards at our schools? Possibly. But security needs to be tightened as well. Not every single door in a school needs to be unlocked. Guard the ones that have to remain open due to fire codes and lock the rest. Anybody walking in the school should be stopped immediately by a security guard and escorted to the office. And cameras! Lots and lots of cameras! Entrances to the cafeteria and gym areas should be monitored as well. I think the days of one school resource officer per school are over.