That's right - the best answer to guns, is more guns. Why not give everyone an automatic rifle, including kids then we will have no problems with gun violence.

I can't imagine any of my granddaughter's teachers, wonderful gifted teachers all, packing sidearms.

The governor has lost his mind.

There are solutions here, arming teachers is not one.

Kathy Kaplan
Reston

Absolutely not!!! Is this guy serious?? What if a teacher has a bad day or someone child is acting up and the teacher can't take it and pulls out a gun and shoots the child. No one wants to think a teacher could do such a thing but we do not want to think anyone will do such a horrible thing but they do. Ask what can happen when PMS is really bad? Women have been known to shoot their husbands when they are PMSing!! This Governor is insane!!! Maybe we should have him evaluated!!!

Please remember not just to comment on the Patch - please make your feelings known to the Governor

Are you going to train them, and then make sure they stay proficient and absorb the liability if indeed they would have to act? If you are not going to do any of that then the idea is pointless. If there had been at least 1 armed person in that school the outcome may have been better. Better to hire some more deputies and police officers and assign them to school duty.

Does he have any idea of the level of frustration many teachers face on a daily basis? Not thinking that adding firearms to the mix is going to help.

@Rick - We already have at least one "resource officer" (a.k.a. police officer) assigned to every school. Not sure that the gov wants to pay for more officers to be assigned.

The governor should be recalled right now. he's obviously insane!

Instead of addressing the root social and mental health issues related to gun violence, our Governor sounds like he's got the knee jerk reaction. Well trained law enforcement can only hit their moving target 22% of the time. Our teachers and staff will do better?
If you can get a concealed carry permit in Virginia by taking an on-line course and test, without ever having handled a weapon, and no requirement to train, then VA should be ashamed and so should our Governor.
This is just a little insight as to what AG Ken Cuccinelli will be promoting as policy when he runs for Governor.
Common' Governor, we can do better than this!

Apparently he is not aware that it was a teacher's guns which were used to kill her as well as all of the other innocent children and staff. More teacher guns would just cause more of the same.

I agree with Ms. Turner that all should send these comments to the Governor directly. Here is the official link: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/aboutthegovernor/contactgovernor.cfm

Absolutely not! Where would it end? Please let's tell the Governor to retract that idea and come up with a more positive strategy for keeping our teachers and schoolchildren safe.

Mary Stump
Arlington

Seriously? Are we supposed to be enabling shoot-outs on campus now?

I’m pretty tired of Gov. McDonnell’s stances on things like this, fighting gun proliferation with more guns, pro-forced ultrasounds, anti-abortion, and no real transportation solutions. Luckily, his time will be up soon. So a bigger question may be: What do Ken Cuccinelli and Terry McAuliffe think about these things?

This is completely the wrong direction to go. We need to get guns out of our society. The police are our militia. Teachers are about teaching, not shooting.

Yes, because if you have a gun, then you're protected. Just like Nancy Lanza. Oh, that's right she's dead and her arsenal killed 20 children and 6 adults. Right, because proliferating guns is the right solution. Sure Governor, they may have stopped this guy. Then again, he may have killed them wiht the assult rifle he had, taken their gun/ammo, and killed a dozen more kids. And you want this idea taken seirously??

By all means, lets shoot our way out of this situation, being armed and trained in firearms worked really well for Mrs. Lanza.

I don't think teachers should be armed in classrooms. That is a little in the wrong direction. I think the Gov. feeling that, "wow, no one was there to stop the carnage"! He is mind may be on that. However, again innocent children were victimized. Someone came into their safe haven and did the unthinkable. How do we stop this from happening again, as it surely will. We have to come up with a countermeasure for this insanity. I believe people are forgetting about officers in the schools, BUT....not every school, in Anywhere USA. Are we forgetting the forces that work in School Security? Retired Police Officers who are certified Special Police Officers for the state. Trained and experienced to deal with violent scenarios. Some jurisdictions have SPO's already certified and working in facilities, but NOT allowed to be armed. One sole School Resource Officer, armed to combat any violent situation, and several SPO's hovering for cover because they are not allowed to be armed. Resources.......resources......resources.......not being used. Are we getting the hint???

Okay, by the time a semi automatic carrying person comes into the room, do you think the teacher who hopefully has a firearm locked up around children will have time to go get it, aim, and kill? arms, and more arms, and more arms? Now do all teachers have to be trained in that as well? What is he kidding??

I teach 28 third graders and sometimes I feel like I'm running in 28 directions at once. Do you really think I could handle a gun in class at the same time? Good grief! What an invitation to disaster!

Come on people... people protect every other important part of this country with guns... accept the MOST important... our children at school.

BTW, I am in a building that is full of people with guns. I am very safe here.

The emphasis is not the guns but the people who carry them.

Anything can be used for good or evil. Cars, airplanes, fertilizer, box cutters... ultimately it is not the thing used to do evil, it is the evil doer. Lets address the REAL issue, the human heart. Anything else would fall short of correctly dealing with this issue.

Perhaps one armed & professionally trained security officer per school.

Ridiculous idea. Governor, you should be ashamed.

Look up the target statistics regarding police officers who use their service weapons. The percentage of shots fired compared to shots hitting a target, in close quarters, is absolutely shocking. When even trained officers miss more shots than not in close quarters, how accurate is a teacher going to be - someone who's not primary law enforcement, has less range hours, and is less likely to react in a collected manner. Seriously? You want more lead in the air, coming from a teacher, how many collateral injuries will that cause in a classroom?

Probably the worst idea I've heard, ever, regarding the control of mass violence

I've always thought Gov. McDonnell was an idiot, and now I have definite proof of that! He's already done enough to allow guns to be more easily available in Virginia, and now he wants to put guns in the classroom??? We all know that children are able to get into just about anything, no matter how well hidden or secured, so what's going to happen next - a kindergartener gets into the teacher's purse, finds a gun, and blows away all his classmates because on TV cartoon characters get blown up and then come back to life? A child angry because of being disciplined locates a gun and shoots his teacher? C'mon Governor McDonnell, why don't you try coming up with something better - like restricting gun use?

I had a fairly favorable opinion of the governor until today. After what happened at VA Tech, we should be on the leading edge of solutions, not adding to the problem. Bring back the assault weapons ban without the loopholes, set up a time limit and initiate a buyback program like Australia did. BTW neocons, this is a pro-life stance.

Place a surcharge/tax on all gun purchases and use the money to strengthen the schools. Strengthen = restricted access, better surveillance, and if needed, armed security. The Newtown attack will force changes to school security. Parents should not have to bear the burden of this.

For realists, this site can help give a more clear picture on how trained students react under pressure when armed in a classroom. It's worth a 1000 words. Watch the video linked here. http://www.nogunsoncampusva.com/

Armed security or off duty police officers should definitely be considered.

A butter knife can be a dangerous weapon even.

Every school needs trained armed security personnel. Who and how many may vary from school to school. Police not in schools are too few to be everywhere at once, nor can they respond quickly enough to stop attacks in progress before damage is done. They can only get there later and try to stop an attack. It will be expensive, but so is preventing another 9/11. Statistically, most schools never will be attacked. But one is too many.

I know this is a sensitive issue . When it came to those school children and staffs, they didn't have a chance to escape . Bottom line, if a bad person has it in their mind to kill , they will plan it and do whatever it takes to carry it out . And find whatever weapons they can find to carry out their agenda . Whether it is a gun , knife , a bomb , or even poison they will find a way to carry out their plan .I doubt his own mother knew what her son was up too, and she was also a victim . I hope Governor McDonnell explore the idea of better security in the school .I know that a lot of you are so against teacher carrying guns . You may not like his idea in that matter . But you have to agree , he is only trying to find ways to avoid that kind of tragedy happening here in Virginia .He should consult an expert and do whatever it takes to protect our children in school . I would rather see Trained armed Security Guards in every school ,then see our teacher carry guns. I think they should start looking into school buildings and adding more exit doors and having more escape route , so the teachers can guide there children out of the school and into a safe places . I think he should make it Mandatory Training courses for all teachers on how to protect their students in case of emergency situation, just like a CPR Class . Bottom line instead of attacking the governor , why don't you all give him ideas on how to improve security in our schools . So we can avoid a tragedy here.

@ Laura - Doesn't help your cause to disrespect people. Makes you look ignorant. If you're going to site stats then back them up.  

Ted is talking about deterrent. Any law enforcement officer would tell you the best way to win a fire fight is to never get into a fire fight in the first place.

In the vast majority of instances, police are not called in time or cannot get to the scene in time to prevent a crime from happening. Many public sites that routinely attract and serve the general public have armed security (e.g., court houses, legislatures, airports, museums, jewelry stores, bars, convenience stores, service stations). Surely schools and our children deserve the same degree of protection.

To keep schools safe, what could be more effective than having trained armed personnel in every school? Details will vary according to communities and resources. The best solutions may vary from community to community. It will be more cost for schools that already cost a lot. But only trained armed people protecting each school can most effectively stop or minimize the damage from attackers.

My kids are grown and have kids of their own, many still in school. I want my grandkids protected by trained armed people in all their schools. I admire and respect the police, but they are far too few to be everywhere all the time. The police need help. Teachers and our students need help. Give them the armed protectors they need in their schools. Don't let teachers and students continue to be easy targets tempting deranged, criminal, or evil people. This will cost more money. How much are our schools and children worth? If we can't afford this, we can't afford anything.

Gun free zones are killing fields, even the crazy people know this. Wake up and take responsibility in protecting yourself and others.

BTW, picking Biden to handle this........another genious move by your president. Having the mentally ill VP lead the way.This can't be really happening. Looks to me that many on this post know nothing about responsible self protection.

I won't pretend to know THE solution to the atrocities that have happened in our schools, and as a teacher and a mother, the thought of guns in schools is highly unsavory to me, but if a couple teachers or principals had been armed in Newtown last week, there would probably be 19 fewer families mourning the senseless murder of a child--or even no families mourning. Do we need stricter gun laws? Most places probably do. Will criminals and lunatics let laws stop them from getting guns? History has taught us that they won't. Hiring armed security officers at all our schools is just monetarily undoable in most places, but if there are teachers and administration willing to take on the responsibility, I don't know what another viable option is. I can't even imagine how many screenings and checks and rules there would obviously need to be in place before someone could be armed in school, but I'm sure plenty of intelligent people could put them in place. (my comment is continued in my next box...)

Many teachers come to care deeply about their students' well beings, as I do, and as we saw at Sandy Hook, some teachers are willing to take bullets for their students. Why not train a few with firearms and they will actually be able to do more than take a bullet and then die with their student in their arms, but to actually save lives. I just don't see who else there is in a situation like this who can stop shootings from happening, or at least keep the death toll down. I would guess that just knowing schools have a couple anonymous armed staff members would make shooters rethink their venue. It would obviously be a weird and probably scary adjustment for us as teachers, principals, parents and students, but if all it takes is a little initial uneasiness on our parts and more attention to gun safety to prevent the slaughter of children in their own classrooms, I think it's worth it. Of course I'd love to have schools stay gun-free, I just don't know that that's the most responsible thing to do to take care of our kids in our violent world. A district in Texas has been armed since 2008. Check this video out:http://www.kristv.com/news/texas-district-defends-allowing-armed-school-staff/#!prettyPhoto/0/

The civilized world long since ended the carnage. They've taken weapons of war out of circulation and in many cases have gone further with great success in reducing killings and most violent crimes. Most Americans know this is the right thing to do.
We need to identify the root causes of the failure of public policy makers like Gov. McDonnell and others to act in the public interest.
And we need to attack those root causes without mercy!

This is a horrible idea. Gov. McDonnell is offering a cheap solution, and it's completely unfair to our teachers and school administrators. They already have more responsibilities than are reasonable. They care for, educate, and love our children for much of the working day. THAT is already enough. Now we're going to tell them that they are also law enforcement officers? We as a society need to man up and make sure our schools are safe by spending the proper amount of money to have trained law enforcement experts in our schools, if we feel it is important to have a gun deterrent in our schools. It's one thing to get the training necessary to handle and shoot a gun in a firing range, and it's altogether a VERY different thing to make wise, split-second, life-or-death decisions in an environment with children. Furthermore, so far as I know, police officers ALSO get training for conflict resolution, and non-lethal intense situations. Teachers and principals need to keep their eyes and attention on kids: how to educate them, counsel them, and so forth. Worse yet, if they start carrying weapons, we're going to start jumping on them for every mistake in this regard. Bottom line is that if we, as parents in a civilized society, want our kids safer in schools, let's not be cowards and put it all on teachers and administrators. Let's man up and pay the bill to make sure trained law enforcement officers are at schools. The teachers in Newtown did enough for the kids there.

Do we never hear about the Pearl River Mississippi shooting in 1997? Nope. The assistant principal retrieved a loaded handgun from his car and stopped it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_High_School_shooting

Dawn, I respectfully, but forcefully disagree. IMHO, this sort of logic needs to get shouted down this time. Or there will be a next time....

It may have felt good to think that arming school staff would have been a solution to Newtown or other massacres. I may have felt good to say it here in public. But lets explore that logic that says arming staff would be a deterrent or it could/would have saved 19 kids in Newtown. The logic just doesn't work.

Colorado *has* a concealed carry law. So, for all of "deterrent theory" mongers -- Dawn was not the only one to mention it -- you should think about how well that worked in the Aurora movie theatre. Let's not get started here on how well someone in the theater, filled with smoke and tear gas, would have done against the killer in that situation.

And remember, our Newtown shooter committed suicide. He did not care weather he lived or died. So an armed school staff would have had him "rethinking his venue" seems like a non sequitur to me.

Dawn, do you suggest that a principal or teacher armed with a firearm would stand a chance taking out someone with a semi-automatic weapon designed for military use? Let's look at some statistics. From SIX FEET, TRAINED NYC police officers only hit their target 43% of the time, from 6-23 feet that number falls to 23%. It is not a stretch of logic to think that number would be lower for un- or under-trained school staff. You can review the stats here- http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/12/09/weekinreview/20071209_BAKER1_GRAPHIC.html

The Newtown shooter had a military grade automatic weapon! The gun he used has an *effective rate* of 45 shots per minute (according to the manufacture) but can shoot even faster. So, If *THEY* have automatic weapons and large clips with 30 or more shots, then I guess logic would dictate that we would have to arm teachers with more than handguns with 6-8 sots. Right?

And yes, *ANYONE* can buy one of these semiautomatic weapons now. But we don't have to live with that law. We could reenact the assault weapon law and force a buyback program like other countries have done. Incidentally the law banning assault weapons did not even ban the gun used in the attack, so we would also have to strengthen it. I have friends and family that are hunters and recreational shooters. But I have no problem requiring them to keep their semi-automatic weapons at a licensed gun range if they want to have fun -- they are certainly not a hunting riffles.

Virginia Tech's on campus 40+ officer police force had no affect whatsover, on stopping or reducing the carnage that occured there in 2007.
So what the heck is the solution?

Comment on Twitter: Some people think teachers are overpaid and incompetent but now they want them to carry guns?

Schools in Israel had problems with terrorists targeting schools and they now ensure that there are armed responsible adults around to protect the children. It's not a crazy idea, it could work. We protect our president and half the politicians with armed guards why wouldn't we do the same for our children? Children are reassured when they know that someone they love will be able to protect them. They will want to know that this will not happen to them. Saying some laws will be passed to prevent the sale of guns in the future will not reassure them as they are too smart for that. They want the person next to them to protect them with something concrete. Do we arm every teacher, of course not, but a responsible adult with a firearm is actually one of the better ways I can think of to prevent this from happening again.

And what would make the Governor think that all teachers would even agree to be armed? And if they won't agree, what, fire them? Mandate that teachers carry guns? I thought conservatives were for small government. Of course, it's useless to use ANY logical arguments against this idea--simply because it is insane.

Our governor is a jackass. The most alarming thing about the idea of arming teachers is how someone that dumb can become governor. Talk about not taking time to think things through. How many people would like to send their little kids into a school with possibly hundreds of guns being toted about? I'm sure there is no chance that in the hectic, stressful life of a teacher and administrator someone will leave their gun where a kid can get it. I'm sure no stressed out teacher or admin will shoot anyone themselves. Guns would be especially effective in situations where teachers are dealing with potentially violent children. No doubt instead of seeing teachers suspended for hitting children of tying them to chairs or any of the many other things they have been driven to, we'd see constant reports of teachers shooting students who threatened them. Clearly the governor is completely unaware of what schools are like and the challenges teachers and administrators already face. And as for those times when a shooter comes into the school (because in the governor's world, we'll have lot of them, as any whacko will be able to buy a bushmaster), well at those times we'll have a good old-fashioned shoot out. Yeehaw, a return to the wild west! In McDonnell's America there is no law, just violence and barbarism met with more violence and barbarism. Sounds like a safe world for our children. This guy should be tossed out of office!

And if we are going to follow Israel's lead in social policy, how about we start with their universal health care and compulsory health insurance? Or their top income tax rate of 48%?

Given the number of comments to this piece; the number of elementary schools in Reston; a middle school and high school; so many concerned families, teachers, principals currently involved with our schools and so many who still live here who were a part of our schools but whose children are now grown; and so many Restonians who care about our community: I'd welcome a town hall meeting s) so Restonians could share their views with our VA politicians. The Governor's idea is scary! I'm distressed VA is apparently one of the easiest states to acquire guns! This is the second time in recent weeks that I've read an article that Karen has written that has touched a nerve in our community, evidenced by all the comments people are making on Patch. This, of course, an issue of enormous, tragic implications. (The other article about the loss of our only new bookstore). I'm struck by the fact that it feels as though many people have much to say but no useful, meaningful outlet for doing this. Any ideas?

There is ABSOLUTLY NOTHING WRONG with discussing all options! These open discussions can lead to creative and innovative solutions OR not. But you don't know unless you discuss them. It doesn't mean that it's a serious proposal. Often an intelligent argument against one idea can help develop other ideas.
And please stop the name calling, what good does that do, really.

Dear Governor McDonnell,

"Mrs. Farmer, I brought you an apple! Hey, what is that in your school bag?"
"Why dear, it's a 9mm Glock 19! I just got it for myself for Christmas. Would you like to see how it works?"
"Ummmm...no. Can I just have some milk and cookies instead?"

Last I checked, the Curry School of Education at UVA did not have a class on "Firearms 101". If you want more security in schools, hire more policemen. Or have you considered the liability ramifications of having gun-toting teachers in our schools?

This idea is dumb, dumb, and dumber. I love Virginia, but if this becomes a reality, I am moving my family to another state.

The Governor's proposal makes sense. We have got to find a way to protect the teachers and children in schools. The "gun free" zone nonsense is making the problem worse. There have been more school shooting since the law was passed than before. This should raise sone questins in peoples minds.

Absurd...............really, really DUMB.................lets get some strong federal laws and regulations and get Virginia the hell out of the gun business........

I had a relative at Va Tech at the time of the shooting there. I work in another VA college that has had a shooting, although I was not on campus at the time. Every day at work I wonder if this or that student is going to shoot someone. I have to lock my office at all times, and it freaks me out when a student I don't know walks into my classroom. Most of the teachers I work with feel the same way. We don't feel safe. It would not make me feel any safer to have my own gun. Even in a shooter situation, if someone walks into my classroom and starts shooting with an automatic weapon, how am I going to get my gun out and fire back in time to not be shot myself? Am I going to teach with a bushmaster in one hand? I've been target shooting before with a pistol. Nowhere near the target, and it wasn't moving or shooting back. It also does not make me feel safe to know we have campus police somewhere - campus is huge. We would need a cop in every hallway and in every open space and parking lot on campus. We'd need a small army. And it would still be perfectly possible for someone with a death wish (like most of our mass shooters) to kill many, many people before he was stopped. Now I know that my own child is not safe in school. I always thought I lived in a country where I was fortunate to be able to keep my child relatively safe. Where we don't get shot at every day, as in some other countries. And now that's not true anymore.

Hi Marie S.............well you sure know your way around this issue. Thank you for your insights........peace........Ken

Seems to me like building security should be first priority ahead of armed teachers (WAY ahead). The Sandy Hook shooter broke the glass front doors and got in easily. The Aurora shooter came back in to the theater thru an unlocked exit door. I'm no security expert, but even I can think of a few solutions that would have prevented them from getting into these buildings. Gun-toting teachers? Home schooling looks really attractive to me.

Leave your comments for the governor as well:
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/aboutthegovernor/contactgovernor.cfm

Griffin, And the Amish school house shooter... make that "lunatic-shooter" in Lancaster, PA in 2006, was a person known to the community at-large! Ten young sudent girls shot, resulting in five deaths. By the way, this tragedy seems to have slipped the memory of many in the media if not all, for some inexplicable reason.

We should also remember the Fort Hood shooting. Few places are as well-armed as a military base in Texas. And yet the shooter killed 13 and wounded 29, before being stopped by the civilian police force. Not the other armed men on base, but the uniformed civilian police.

Typical liberal response calling anyone who disagrees with them an idiot. We all want the same thing, that is not to have this happen again. Lets engage in meaningful debate, not name calling.

Unfortunately we ARE in the very same GLOBAL war against terrorism (foreign and domestic) as Israel. We would do well to learn from there successful "layered" approach to security. Teachers would be the LAST line of defense. Not the first or only.

Just sent this to the Governor as well:

Arming teachers or other school personnel would not have much of an effect on these shootings. It would, however, alter the teaching conditions dramatically. Before moving to Virginia, I taught at Chillicothe Correctional institution, in Ohio. Armed guards on towers leading into the classrooms; guards outside the classrooms; classrooms with plexiglass walls (so the guards could see inside). And classrooms full of convicted criminals.

Do we want to treat schoolchildren like convicted criminals?

Sorry if i hurt your feelings Dragon..........btw, i didnt use the word 'idiot' but that is a good description for the suggestee for arming teachers............i wonder how many would shoot kids in the course of the year. And James Young, the government is the only problem solver we have for problems such as this...........lest of course, everyone arms themselves.................

Here is my problem. First I would like to inform everyone I am a hunter and pro rifles and shotguns for hunting. The governors, as well as many others, is very much the wrong answer. We are becoming more and more of a "reactionary" society. "someone has a gun, well then I need a gun too in order to protect myself" We need to stop reacting to everything and start being "proactive". Go to the source. Figure out how to change a culture and teach our young how to behave in society. We need to be able to identify troubled people and work on helping them and keeping guns away from them. With the reaction method our governor promotes, there are still at least 2 people dead, the victim and the shooter. How do we stop that person from ever entering the school? If we can do that guns are not needed. period. We have to start looking at the root of the problem or else more and more of these situations will arise. Yes there will be fewer death per instance, sure, but there will be so many more shooting because everyone will react, and a person with a gun (defending themselves) will no doubt create more frequent smaller instances and even some accidents will occur...yes guns and accidents happen.

Let's all stop reacting and start digging deeper into the problems and stop covering it up with more and more guns.

I retired from the military after 30+yrs, handling many weapons and being on a national match pistol team. I am also a life member of the NRA and hold a CCL. Arming principals and teachers is the absolute stupidest idea I have ever heard. This Governor should be impeached for proposing such an idiotic idea. The 2nd amendment has been used for justification to bludgeon people's right to a safe and secure pursuit of happiness thanks to the extreme positions of advocates of the gun industry. The NRA went whacko years ago at the Missouri Convention in the 80's and really stepped over the lines with their "jack booted" comment back in the 90's. George H.W. Bush even renounced his life membership because of their radical stances. The NRA needs to fire its leadership and get a board of citizens that are not loonies like Ted Nugent.

Great comment Frederick Cassiday........more citizens on the Board and retired Wayne Depierre would go a long way to addressing the problem.......

Once again the whole country laughs at Virginia!

Sure the answer is more guns. NOT! I fully support the 2nd Amendment, but I just think we have to do a better job vetting out those that cannot be a responsible gun ower before not after the fact. To be honest I don't have the answer, but I don't think adding more guns is the answer!

As I wrote in my blog on the Patch on Monday, it's not just about guns - it's about building community. Even if our laws further limited guns, it's still up to us at the community level to know those we live among. Proposing guns in schools as a solution removes responsibility from ourselves.
http://vienna.patch.com/blog_posts/protect-our-children-by-building-community

well lets see, teachers are highly stressed, put up with BS everyday from kids who could care less about being in school, get crappy pay, are unappreciated by BOTH students and parents, get NO support from anyone when students crybaby to mommy that the teacher doesn;t like me thats why i got an F. Should we give them guns to carry? I think not.

People lets stay on the subject:: NO teachers do not need to carry guns. What we DO need is for parents to start taking responsibility for TEACHING their children right from wrong, not giving them everything they ask for so they will leave you alone. It is NOT up to the teachers to teach right from wrong. Maybe if parents do THEIR job, when kids grow up they won;t have the attitude, I can do whatever I want to do.

Hmmm, I can tell you that if my teacher had been "strapped" during class, I probably would have paid more attention during his lectures!

Hi Joe,

We are already planning on showing the website during the interview—so we’re all set!

Watch this and then comment.
http://www.nogunsoncampusva.com

Do you really want to have to live in a Country where you have to carry a firearm to be safe? That is NOT freedom to me! Personally, I'd much rather be free to go anywhere I want without having to worry about someone opening fire on me. More guns just brings more gun injuries, whether it's by accident or on purpose.

With all due respect Mr. Governor but this is ridiculous. Period.
We all need to start from scratch and give more attention to our kids
(as parents, teachers, etc..) If we don't change that, this problem will never go away and it's getting worse.

Exactly Lisa...........going anywhere would be a nightmare..........and especially for women.........

My roommate's brother (who's in the Army) shared an idea that's circulating on Facebook. We have a great many veterans who leave the military and can't get jobs. Instead of letting them end up homeless, why not hire them to protect our schools? They are already trained in firearms use; this would allow them to continue to use that training after they leave the military.

Two countries that have terrorists who like to target children in schools are Israel and Thailand. In both places they tried the equivalent of imposing GUN FREE ZONES and found that the terrorists not only ignored the law but if anything they were attracted to an advertized “soft target” even more.
When that failed, they put a police officer in each school. Next they helped to arm and train teachers on a voluntary basis and now terrorist attacks on schools in those countries are almost nonexistent.

What if instead of arming teachers with guns, they were equipped with Tasers, after completion of proper training in their usage?
The bottom line is something needs to be done to protect our precious children.

And that bottom line is..............if normal civilians weren't allowed to purchase, own or carry an automatic weapon we probably wouldn't be having this conversation and we wouldn't have to worry so much about having someone protecting our children while they are in school!

Governor McDonnell and Mr. Cuccinelli (who either urges him on or is his lackey in these stupidities such as the idea of arming teachers, vaginal probes and law suits on teaching global warming at UVA) are embarassments to Virginia. Although I grew up with rifle training and use, my late parents were teachers and I'm the father of a teacher and every teacher I know is appalled at the lack of common sense and stupidity the mere thought of arming teachers displays. I have gotten phone calls from retired military and former-gun toting intelligence and law enforcement officers from well to the South and North expressing amazement and disbelief and suggesting that we Virginians shuld have those two impeached for going beyond common sense. I tended to think Governor McDonnell was pretty competent - a Notre Dame graduate, former Army Officer, pretty practical and responsible and non-ideological on transportation and trains, and then we have this insensitive and stupid call for a "discussion" on arming teachers. I would hope that the hue and cry from those who believe we have more than enough guns distributed in this country is discussion enough for them - and an indicator to voters about their ability to serve in higher office. As their predecessor in radicalism, Oliver Cromwell put it in England over 300 years ago : "You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"

Brilliant Mark.............Brilliant!!! Maybe remarks like these will let the Governor see the light!!!

Sometimes, as in Sherlock Holmes, it is the dog that doesn't bark that is significant. If the Governor's hare-brained musing on discussing arming teachers had any merit one would think that teachers, teachers' unions and associations, universities and even the PTA's around the country would be applauding him and asking to be armed.

if teachers are armed, it won't make a lick of difference. Teachers are so focused on doing their actual job that they would not be able to respond to an intruder in time. The attacker needs only to shoot them in the back before they have time to draw their weapon, and the carnage continues as before.

The reason the Governor's remark was seen as idiotic and, as some have put it as "barbaric" is because teachers flinch from the idea of carrying guns. Has anybody seen a clamoring from teachers to be issued guns after Newtown? Of course not. Why not ushers at church, nurses in hospitals, popcorn venders at the movies, school bus drivers, or soccer coaches and Moms? Those of us who have spent parts of our careers with firearms realize how dangerous they are...and law enforcement professionals know how difficult it is to separate friend from foe. Our problem as a nation is that we are unrestrained in our use of firearms, and an international law professor I had at UVA once told me the one word that separates a barbarian from a civilized person is "restraint." If this country isn't going to adhere to civilized restraints on guns, we at least will need to budget for trained law enforcement professionals to guard schools, banks, school buses, and churches.

If more guns aren't the answer, then tell me, why are the police always called to these incidents?

The function of semi-automatic firearms is 1800s technology, and it is not going away. Gun bans have not worked in countries that hve implemented them, and oppressive governments first disarm their citizens.

If not teachers, then at least SOMEONE at each school must be armed and trained.

http://www.humanevents.com/2012/12/19/ann-coulter-we-know-how-to-stop-school-shootings/

Don Joy - OK, I'll add this to the discussion....Gun restrictions HAVE worked in countries that restrict them....Australia, Canada, etc. The US has more guns per capita than any civilized country and more gun related violence and murder per capita. Simple fact, not opinion. As for 1800's technology up until about the mid 1800's flintlocks or muzzle loaders were the norm, and I was taught by my Army drill sergeant that Bushmaster type weapons were designed in the 1950's as a response to Chinese Communist human wave attacks in Korea...assault and semi automatic weapons used in recent mayhem in this country were designed specifically to kill with shock power and maim as many combatants as possible within a short time. With the rationale of having assault weapons available to the public having an M-79 with Willie Pete rounds (that's white phosphorous) or with flechette rounds available might be a great terminal defense weapon or plaything to put in the hands of the deranged and evil. I would hope not. Where do we stop with the armed cards? School buses? Hospitals? Big Box stores? What is really telling about this discussion is that most (but not all) of us who have been exposed to firearms professionally in the military or law enforcement agree that the "right to bear arms" is not absolute...and even the miniscule portion of the US citizenry that belongs to the NRA is currently at odds with its leadership.

http://freestudents.blogspot.com/2007/04/when-mass-killers-meet-armed-resistance.html

Don Joy - I've been involved with and was trained with firearms since the Viettnam Era and don't "need to get up to speed." You can quibble all you want - but the reality is although it is semi-automatic and not full automatic the Bushmaster is a derivative of the M-16 and uses a quick load and rapid fire clip period. Yes there are deer rifles, shot guns etc. out there with greater individual killing power - but legitimate deer hunters don't need a rifle that allows you to, at the pull of a finger, cook off 10 -20 rounds in rapid fire and then reload in three seconds. I spent a career at various times involved with firearms and was a gun (rifle) owner and might or might not be one now (there have been points in my life where I certainly couldn't rely on 911 as any Westerner can tell you) but believe that civilized countries need to restrict the lethality of weapons available to the average citizen,,,and as I was taught in the military, only draw a firearm when you are prepared to kill with it. I can't imagine a situation in which a normal person needs a semi-automatic anything to kill for personal or home defense. As for "Existentially immoral?" Interesting. I'm familiar with Lott's work, it is impressive but comparing crime rates by county etc. in the USA as opposed to the US compared to other civilized countries with much smaller - irrefutably so - gun homicide rates (UK, Canada, etc.) and more restrictive (but not bans) gun laws is comparing apples to oranges.

No, sorry Don, but I totally disagree with your "gun-free zones" comment. That is definitely NOT the issue here. The issue is the availability of guns to people who should NEVER have a gun. Considering that Cho and Hason might have only used handguns, the carnage would have been much less than it was, and if we had armed police officers at Elementary Schools, then they may have been able to avoid it even less.

And as for your "other countries with banned gun laws" comment......one of those countries happens to be my home country and I know for a fact that there is MUCH LESS of this stuff going on there.

Don Joy - As for "needing to get up to speed" the Bushmaster's manufacturer agrees with my characterization of their rifle. (Although I might be in Geezerdom, I do indeed remember the difference between automatic and semi-automatic as taught in ROTC and Boot Camp - the difference is between twitches of a finger.) "This Operating Manual covers all Bushmaster XM15 E2S and Carbon 15 models chambered for 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington ammunition. They are lightweight, gas operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed rifles, carbines or pistols that are Semi-Automatic in operating mode (i.e., a single round will fire each time the trigger is pulled). Note: For Law Enforcement and Military markets, Bushmaster makes similar models in either Full-Automatic (continuous fire as long as the trigger
is pulled) or Three Round Burst (a group of 3 shots will fire as long as the trigger is pulled) configurations. Sales of these models require special permits and are regulated by ATF." Note the ammunition is specified as being what I was taught as military standard "NATO Round" or 5.56mm NATO - that particular type of round is designed to tumble and do as much tissue damage and shock with killing power. Cho & Hasan indeed used hand guns - semi-automatics such as a Glock with high capacity, rapid reload magazines...probably a good idea to keep that stuff out of general circulation too unless one's "existential morality" requires the capability to fend off the Soviet 3rd Guards Tank Army.

Don Joy - Your comment - "You must think the 2nd amendment was about hunting, and protecting against ordinary criminals, huh. Might as well acquiesce in your status as a subject to the whim of whatever majority seeks to enforce its will through government, then" - speaks volumes - last I read it the Constitution reads "we the people" and I swore an oath to preserve, protect and defend and continue to gladly "acquiesce in [my] status as a subject to the whim of whatever majority seeks to enforce its will through government" as in elections, Congress and all that - that is called a republican American democracy and my family and I have borne arms to support that concept. The Second Amendment doesn't indicate that armed gangs can pick and choose which laws apply to them like they do in Somalia or Yemen. End of discussion on my part.

Don, I suggest someone test your mental stability, as you seem very angry my friend! Someone I feel should probably NOT have access to a gun! I could have won some money by betting that your next response was going to be something about me and my home country. All Americans were immigrants at some point in their ancestory. That's how America began. I have as much right to live in the USA as you do. You have no business telling me or anyone else where you think we should live.

Carol Lewis - Sage advice. I'm no longer responding. As Yogi Berra put it I'm having deja vue all over again. I spent a Winter Term studying in Moscow when it was commie and discovered that you can't win an argument with somebody with a different version of reality and ideology and through my military and government career I ran into all manner of these types across the political spectrums. The problem with blogging on the Patch - and I should have learned by now -- is that it sometimes takes a while to realize that one is in the proverbial wrestling match with a pig until you are rolling around in the manure with it and realize that all you are doing is annoying the pig and making squeal louder.

Don - Last comment - reference Lisa -- many immigrants refer to the place they're from as "home country" - my grandfather who was a fanatic American used to refer to his homeland as "my country" as in where he was from. And, your concept of the Second Amendment is at variance with what most Americans are taught....the concept of the citizens of the US having the right to armed struggle against their own government - which was dealt with through Shay's Rebellion, the Whiskey Rebellion, and the War Between the States. Now, let's, in the spirit of Christmas, disengage. There is something about discussing politics through a blog that lends to incivility, even if it is not intended. I think we all have expressed our ideas and you and I, at least, are not going to agree. Enjoy the Yuletide Season. Out here.

Mr. Joy - Nobody has "dishonestly accused" you of anything other than quoting your own words - and then whining that is not what you said or quibling. Lisa never said she prefers the laws of any other country....she said "And as for your "other countries with banned gun laws" comment......one of those countries happens to be my home country and I know for a fact that there is MUCH LESS of this stuff going on there." You suggested she go back. You are the one who went off topic - which was restricting types of weapons - or the desirability of arming teachers when confronted with the statements on military nature of the AR-5 and then rambled into statements asserting the 2nd Amendment gaves the right of armed citizenry to change the rule of a majority - as you wrote it: "Might as well acquiesce in your status as a subject to the whim of whatever majority seeks to enforce its will through government, then...and...Our 2nd amendment derives from OUR revolution of armed struggle to throw off tyranny." End quotes.

Has anyone else noted that when Don Joy joins in a discussion, that thread often ends up losing the interest of all rational posters, or else ends up being closed? The point being that these discussions are meant to be just that - thoughtful, meaningful discussions allowing people to express their point of view. They are not meant to become a means of verbally bashing people over the head until they give in. Don, your verbal aggressiveness and antagonism do nothing other than cause people to dig in and shake their heads in disbelief over your fervent partisionship. If you think you are portraying the valiant patriot, let me tell you that instead you come across as more of a rabid animal. If you really want people to consider your ideas, I suggest you stop your name-calling and knee-jerk comments and instead try posting your ideas in a more rational way. Honestly, I think you are one of those that shouldn't have access to guns, because the anger and hostility in all of your messages are frightening.

I just made a donation to the NRA to help protect citizens and the constitution. Emotional hand wringing liberals with a political agenda will only help Obama with his arab spring which started with his election. God save our country from liberals.

All school staff should be armed with tasers or guns to protect school children. The 20 children would be alive today if school staff was armed. Liberals and their gun laws killed 20 kids.

I am increasingly confused by the use of term "liberal" and "convervative." If we apply proper English, a liberal view of firearms results in greater distribution and use, not unlike the premise of those with a liberal view of marijuana. To be conservative on the matter is the antithesis. It seems to me that the political parties have twisted the use of our language, our most fundamenttal form of communication, to create a vast, polarizing chasm between all of us to further their political agendas and assure their power over us. Don`t be fooled by them. Think independently. Do not label yourself or others as either conservative or liberal.

“I tended to think Governor McDonnell was pretty competent - a Notre Dame graduate, former Army Officer, pretty practical and responsible and non-ideological on transportation and trains, and then we have this insensitive and stupid call for a ‘discussion’ on arming teachers.” [Reference: @Mark Carolla 4:06pm Dec 20]

MISSING LINK: You left out McDonnell’s continuing education at Pat Robertson’s well-known Regent University -- where he got his Masters degree in Public Policy as well as a Law degree. This experience significantly shaped his views, which have been quite evident in his public roles.

However, the Guv seems mostly a lot smarter than some about maintaining a smooth non-contentious public persona to quietly advance his ideological agenda.

Sadly, his transportation, environmental, and some social “ratings” are abysmal.

McDonnell’s BIO: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/aboutthegovernor/mcdonnell-bio.cfm

GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT. Many media folks, such as Thomas Roberts and Don Lemon of CNN, many elected decision-makers, and certainly a majority of citizens simply know virtually nothing about guns. Roberts and Lemon and Piers Morgan have confused issues and looked sadly ignorant. I understand their anguish about the children and all of those affected by the Connecticut school incident -- and the hundred OTHERS killed in the week following that school shooting.

But they need to learn what they are talking about before talking. There is an excellent short video presentation by a law enforcement training officer that outlines and illustrates "Guns 101" (not the name of it). It's short enough that anyone discussing the subject should watch it.
PROBLEM: I've lost the reference. I'm sure someone can help me find that or something comparable.

In the meantime, though I have extremely serious problems with the work of the Heartland Institute for many reasons, "non-gun" folks might read this article: http://dailycaller.com/2012/12/20/guns-for-dummies/ .

BTW, I hunted and could dress out a deer decades ago; I ran trespassers off of our farm property with a rifle in years past, and I really enjoyed sport shooting for a few years too.
BUT TEACHERS WITH GUNS IN SCHOOLS? NO WAY.
Focus on mental health, while getting rapid-fire high-capacity magazines off the street and closing the gun show loopholes-- much more do-able goals than outlawing extremely common guns.

Don Joy - To many of us first-generation Americans it is indeed "beyond the pale" to tell an immigrant to go back to their home country because they might prefer an aspect of their home county's laws or customs. Of course, you might tell me to go back to my Dad's Italy because I might prefer some aspects of Italian law or society to some of ours. I am being very, very honest that I view statements such as that as "being beyond the pale." I like some aspects of Canada too, but that doesn't mean that I'm not a patriot like you are. As for the Second Amendment having a purpose of preventing the majority from imposing tyranny...probably so...but it is open to civil discussion as to what form of bearing arms means...as an officer of the law you know that the Courts have consistently upheld the 2nd Amendment rights, but they have also said there can be certain limitations. Your eagerness to label anybody who disagrees with you in this thread as a "leftie" ("you lefties scramble for hiding places from which to hurl personal attacks and shut off access, because that's all you have at that point") is as ill-advised as stupid attacks questioning your mental health, as disagreeing on limiting types of gun ownership is hardly an indicator of political leaning. BTW - I am not for repeal of the 2nd Amendment, but I agree with Phil Caputo's views on AR-15 type weapons. Enough said.

"Great to see Don Joy back on Patch sharing his pith, wit, and wisdom several hundred times a day!", said no one, ever.

To all - I know, I know, I should really have disengaged, except that when somone calls me "dishonest" I get a bit irritated. I forgot to turn off the "e-mail me updates" thing too. The sad thing about this thread is that people on both sides see this as a natty natty boo boo I'm right and you are not; stoop to suggesting those passionate about the right to bear arms as "sick;" or accuse those seeking to limit arms as "lefties" etc. etc. Now, I'm going to turn off this stream if I can...it is Christmas Eve and this Connecticut born Yankee is delighting in seeing a snowfall and a White Christmas..

I pray to God that the New Year brings more love to this country and the world! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Not everyone gets to live until they are 90 including kids. It is hard on the parents and those close to it. So many die everyday around the world but nothing is done about it. I do not hear the liberal news media say a thing about it. Life is cheap. Ask the multitude that die everyday.

Much as I believe that high capacity semi-automatic weapons and high capacity magazines should not be available to the public , it is only the true sportsmen and women of this country who can change the politican's voting patterns and enact common sense laws. A similar rampage in a Chinese school on the same day as our tragedy only resulted in injuries but no deaths .The deraged man was armed with a knife.His only available weapon.Guns do kill and they kill very effectively.A shoot out in our schools with over anxious teachers or a single police man against a suspected attacker will result in more children's deaths not less.If now is not the time for all sides to unite , when will it be?

An ARMED society is a SAFE & FREE society!

Don Joy! You old troll! How are you? I thought Patch banned you for life after your post election breakdown. What (or who) did you have to do to get back on? Good to have you back in any case. I see you have maintained your prodigious copy and paste skills. But everything else you say seems flat and forced compared to your peak right before you were banned. It's like your troll muscles have atrophied. Keep practicing! You be back in shape in no time.

This appears to be the "old fashioned" chat room. It is a waste of time blathering just to blather. Sammee - being armed is being safe and free? Care to discuss how you get to that? Sally

http://1389blog.com/2012/12/23/larry-correia-refutes-the-gun-controllers-once-and-for-all/

I think gun control gives the wrong idea of what those of us who want stricter laws want. We're looking for reasonable gun safety. You can have your guns, it's your 2nd amendment right. But only the military should have military style weapons.

Chapman isn't waiting while the ivory tower people who wring their hands and ask for more money to combat mental illness. Maybe the teachers will agree to pay more for health, dental and their pensions so the money can be diverted to metal health? Ol Chappie has his deputies on site preempting any would be killers. The Bull of the woods didn't wait for permission, a vote, public input he just solved the problem with a armed presence. You may have misgivings about his methods but there is no debate about the results. The kids are safe thanks to Chapman and the deputies! Salute!!

http://takimag.com/article/ban_schools_not_guns_kathy_shaidle/print#axzz2HJEepOSy

Where is the petition I can sign to arm the teachers?