I've posted this before, but this seems an appropriate time to revisit the issue:
We all know that the only sure way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. Unfortunately, there are three drawbacks in allowing teachers and school staff members to carry concealed weapons:
(1) Human nature being what it is, it is inevitable that some armed teacher will leave a gun in a desk drawer, briefcase, or purse, to be found by a student.
(2) Armed school staff will be at a terrible disadvantage using small concealable handguns against a heavily armed active shooter who may be wearing body armor.
(3) Armed teachers will be in mortal danger from law enforcement officers responding to reports of an active shooter.
In my opinion, the best solution to mitigating the casualty count in school active shooter incidents is to pre-stage AR-15 or similar rifles in secure, alarmed containers at numerous locations on the campus, along with armored clearly identifiable “raid” jackets for responding school staff. Specially trained teachers and staff members need only carry a key to the container, greatly reducing the chance of a weapon falling into the wrong hands. Upon hearing an alarm, or shots fired, responding teachers could don the raid jacket and take up an effective weapon within seconds when delay equates to lost lives. Responding law enforcement would be instantly able to identify “good guy” armed responders.
Pre-staging effective weapons and protective gear like we do fire extinguishers will minimize the danger of weapons on campus while maximizing the chances of quickly stopping an armed intruder.
My Credentials: I have more than 40 years of law enforcement and law enforcement training experience. I am a retired Special Agent of the US Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID), and am the retired Director of Advanced Force Tactics, Inc., a firm devoted to teaching judgmental use of force and gunfighting tactics, including active shooter response, to law enforcement agencies nationwide.