In a vote largely along party lines, the Florida legislature passed a bill that will allow more teachers to carry guns in school.
The vote in the Republican-led House followed “seven hours of angry, sometimes deeply painful debate about race and gun violence that spanned two days,” reports the Miami Herald.
“The debate at times reached a heightened pitch that had Democrats shouting or tearing up as black members delved into details about their personal experiences with racism and their deep-seated fears about minority children being targeted by teachers who have guns,” the Herald says.
The vote in the House was 65-47, with five Republicans joining most Democrats in voting no. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the bill.
“The measure expands an existing school ‘guardian’ program to allow any teacher to volunteer to carry a weapon if their local school district approves,” reports the Associated Press.
It requires that any teacher who wants to carry a gun receive police-style training, drug screening and a psychiatric evaluation.
It does not require any teacher to become a guardian, and participation in the program is up to local school boards.
The original Guardian law was passed in response to last year’s mass shooting in Parkland FL that killed 17 people and wounded 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
“Students, including some from Stoneman Douglas, protested in the Capitol and urged lawmakers not to authorize the arming of teachers,” reports the South Florida Sun-Sentinal. “They voiced concerns that arming teachers would have unintended consequences, putting them at risk of accidental shootings.
Several opponents of the bill passed Wednesday noted that one day earlier a police officer assigned to a middle school near Florida’s Gulf Coast had his gun discharge in the school cafeteria. No one was hurt.
“We see accidents happen every day,” said Rep. Susan Valdes (D-Tampa). “This is not the answer. Don’t put more guns in our schools.”
But Rep. Chuck Brannan (R-Macclenny) said allowing the arming of school staff will serve as a powerful deterrent for anyone thinking of harming students.
“This bill is the ultimate school-hardening law. It allows the good guy to stop the bad. … The bad guy will never know when the good guy is going to be there to shoot back,” said Brannan, a retired law enforcement officer from rural North Florida.
“The bill was strongly opposed by teachers unions, and school boards in some of Florida’s most populous counties have voted against joining the guardian program, preferring instead to leave the security job to trained police officers,” the AP says.
