By Megan Murphy
Editor-in-Chief
Once again, a school shooting has made headlines across the nation. This time, it was at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. when a former student opened fire at the school on Feb. 14, killing 17 and injuring 14. Several of those killed, both students and faculty, died attempting to protect others from the gunman. In a cycle that has become routine, America reels in the aftermath of a horrific tragedy, the loss of innocent lives while nothing is done to either increase gun control laws or add protection to school campuses. However, I think that one thing most Americans could actually agree on is that something must be done. We just end up disagreeing on the methods.
On the left, you have advocates for an increase in gun control– more vigorous background checks or bans on popular rifles such as the AR-15 (used in the Parkland shooting as well as other recent mass shootings, such as Orlando, Las Vegas, and Sutherland Springs, TX) and bump stocks. Banning assault weapons sounds great in theory, however, I don’t think that such an extensive ban could ever be properly implemented across the country. There is some merit to the argument that if you ban these weapons, people will still be able to acquire them through other means. For example, in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, Adam Lanza used his mother’s guns to commit the atrocity.
On the right, people suggest solutions such as armed guards or faculty at schools, as well as issues such as concealed carry on campuses. Again, there are some pros and cons to these sorts of solutions as well. I think the most critical part of any of these options is making sure that people who are armed are well-educated and informed about the responsibility of carrying a firearm. Arming people who have absolutely no idea how to handle a gun could lead to more tragedy. Recently, a bill was introduced in Jefferson City, suggesting that college campuses could have designated faculty members who were properly trained to conceal and carry as an added defense against school shootings, in addition to campus security measures.
I don’t think there is one solution, and both sides of the argument have valid points. I think that if America was to increase gun control, it would take a long time, whereas we are currently facing a crisis when it comes to mass shootings. Increasing armed guards on school campuses could perhaps help make schools more secure, but education would be key in ensuring that such a step did not lead to more tragedy.
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