Some educators, such as Utah teacher Kasey Hansen, said carrying a concealed weapon in school is “more of a solution” than hiding in a corner and waiting if an armed intruder enters the classroom.
But others, including the president of the 1.7 million-member American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, called arming teachers a horrible idea and said an educator's handgun would be no match for the assault-style weapons often wielded by attackers.
“The solution is to ban these military weapons from people who shouldn't have them,” Weingarten said.
"Teachers already shoulder a huge burden when it comes to educating properly, due to lack of funding, support and resources and making sure their students are taken care of emotionally," Brittany Wheaton, an English teacher in Utah, told CNN. "Asking us to now carry the burden of having the responsibility to kill is irreparably damaging, even if we never have to discharge our weapon."
Wheaton, along with Kansas teacher Olivia Bertels, launched the movement. According to BuzzFeed, the two met through Instagram and have individually developed significant followings on the platform, often sharing snapshots of their classrooms and inspirational messages.
Following the Florida high school shooting, Wheaton reached out to Bertels said it was “time for teachers to demand their voices be heard.”
Here’s a look at the burgeoning social media movement:
I usually stay out of political topics but I feel very passionate about this. Don't arm me with weapons, arm my students with services that help them cope, services that when needed are there, relationships that keep them accountable #armmewith pic.twitter.com/bVER6g2kXM
— The Panko Post (@thepankopost) February 21, 2018
#neveragain #MarchForOurLives #ArmMeWith pic.twitter.com/1ZYektj2xQ
— Grace Lovelace (@LovelaceIn2nd) February 21, 2018
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