Arming teachers is a horrible idea. 

Teachers need to teach. 

More guns in schools is not a solution to a crazed gunman entering a school and opening fire with an AR-15. 

Beefing up school security, sadly, is necessary. 

That may look like a lot of things — more trained and armed police officers, metal detectors, single secured entry points, panic buttons, fencing, safe rooms — but teachers with guns is not the answer. 

We do not think this is a Second Amendment issue or even a question of gun control. 

We think it is common sense. 

Having a gun in a classroom, even if the teacher has a concealed carry permit, just creates too many possibilities of things that could go tragically wrong. 

While we understand the argument that some teachers may be former police officers, military personnel or avid hunters familiar with weapons, we also think that is the exception not the rule. 

Furthermore, having a handgun permit, going to a shooting range and shooting at targets, animals or even going through one or two active-shooter classes, does not mean you would be able to defend yourself or anyone else when confronted with someone who has a semi-automatic long gun and no regard for human life, his own or anyone else’s. 

Public schools have long been gun-free zones and we believe it should stay that way. 

We are not opposed to armed, trained, certified police officers or deputies in our schools. 

That’s their job. That is what they are trained to do. 

Shooting assailants is not the job of a school teacher.

And it shouldn’t be. 

We oppose the arming of our school teachers.