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Two months ago, I retired from teaching. After 26 years of teaching, I have come to a few conclusions about teachers and students. One thing I have observed is that teachers will do just about anything for the safety of their students.

Several of my fellow teachers purchased and used germicidal sprays to kill viruses on their desks and keyboards. All of us have been on the alert for quite some time for strangers on campus. Many of us have commented that we wished we were allowed to carry a weapon, in case someone tried to attack our students. We are like little Mother Hens worrying about our chicks, even if those little chicks are standing six feet tall.

After each incidence of shooting at a school, we all talk about what we might do if it happens where we teach. Each one of us has our own plan for our classroom. I was a science teacher. I had many little surprises planned for anyone charging into my classroom. In my case, arming me with a gun would me merciful to the perpetrator. My armory included everything from a baseball bat to gallons of different types of concentrated acid.

The door to my classroom did not have a glass to look through for identification purposes. I told all of my administrators and fellow teachers that they had better be sure to identify themselves orally and loudly before they enter my room in the event of a "Code Red". I would be behind the door with one of my many weapon possibilities. I would defend my students with everything I had.

A few weeks after a shooter event at another school, our state school insurance board decided, in their infinite wisdom, to test schools for their alertness. They sent an inspector to the campuses to see how many employees questioned a stranger who just showed up in the building. They did not give us any warning. From my perspective, a complete stranger charged into my room unexpectedly, projecting a threatening manor. The expression on his face and his failure to identify himself as he rushed into my room put me on instant alert. Immediately when I saw him, I stopped talking, opened my desk drawer and grabbed a pair of long scissors. By the time he reached my desk and placed himself aggressively into my personal space, I had mentally located his jugular and was prepared to slice it open to protect my kids. It was fortunate for him that he did not make any threatening moves to my kids or me. I demanded his identification. He flashed a scribbled pass from the office and told me I had done exactly what I was supposed to do. Still not believing him and suffering from an overdose of adrenaline, I asked him if he knew just how dangerous his job was. He got a confused look on his face, followed my gaze to the scissors and backed off.

Watching my own reaction to threat reminded me that I was quite serious about keeping my kids safe.... even if the headlines could have read "Teacher attacks inspector with scissors". I have a license to carry a handgun. If I were allowed to carry it at school, I would not hesitate to use it if I thought my students were in danger and using it could stop them from being killed. Further, I feel that the very fact that some teachers may be carrying guns might actually cause someone to hesitate before they decide to go shooting at a school. The fact that there is nobody allowed to carry a gun at a school is an open invitation to a shooter to go into a school shooting at will. If a few of them were blown away by someone at the school and the media reported it, there would be fewer incidents.

Call me harsh, but I believe that we should do everything possible to keep kids safe in school, especially since we require them to be there by law.

Learn more about this author, Karen Crumley.
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