Story By: KSLA, Jeff Ferrel
Ever since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre some have suggested that armed teachers might just help prevent another such tragedy. And while schools in Louisiana are considered firearm-free zones, the law does spell out some exceptions to that rule.
“What the law says, that you can carry, a teacher can carry a firearm in a school if the, if she has the principal’s permission, or if he has the principal’s permission,” said Doug Pierrelee.
Pierrelee is a former Louisiana state trooper. He’s now a firearms instructor in Shreveport and doubts whether school districts would allow teachers to arm themselves. “I couldn’t imagine just knowing that some people don’t even want to talk about it. It’s too taboo to even talk about.”
“Oh, I think that’s the best idea you can have,” said Ed Burns. He caught up with him as he set-up his holsters as a vendor for a gun show taking place inside Riverview Hall in downtown Shreveport this weekend.
And Burns said his own mother was a school teacher. “We can’t put enough guards in a school. But if the teachers are armed they can protect their students. Who else is there to protect them?”
But a new poll by the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, shows only 27-percent of voters support the idea of armed teachers, with 64-percent opposed.
While some may even scoff at the idea of teachers with guns, Doug Pierrelee said you’ve got to be used to being ridiculed for what you believe. “Ridicule is a small price to pay for liberty. Think of the price that all of those children paid in Newtown for the myth of a gun-free zone.”
Caddo Parish Schools Spokesman Victor Mainiero said the idea of armed teachers has not been considered in their school district. And across the Red River, Bossier Parish Schools Spokeswoman Sonja Bailes said the very same thing.
But Bailes did add, “We will continue the dialogue on security next Tuesday.” she was referring to a school board security meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday (1/15/13) afternoon.
