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1 Policy Brief and Analysis Melissa Lozito Bachelor of Social Work, Walden University COURSE 4100-1: Policy and Advocacy Dr. Melissa Lozito April 30, 2023

2 Policy and Brief Analysis School violence has grown to be a major concern due to a lack of understanding, exposure to violent situations and social margins that harm interpersonal connections. It is more challenging to maintain a peaceful environment when school violence has increased in frequency. A minor problem can be stopped from getting worse by informing and educating nearby communities’ schools, kids, and parents. This essay will analyze how gun safety for teachers work if they are used. I will explain the main reasons why this bill is being implemented, gun laws, and how guns should be used. The bill that I will analyze is Senate Bill No. 2079. Legislators in Mississippi recently approved the Senate Bill 2079 that its sponsor, Angela Burks Hill, thinks will give districts the options to think about adding another layer of security (Blackmarr, 2023). The bill enables the school to select staff members who would be interested in being armed at school to go through additional training program to acquire a certification from the department of public safety, and the school protection program who is not a law enforcement officer, as defined in Section 45-6-3, must be at the very least be in possession of a firearms license issued under Section 45-9-101 (Sente bill 2079, 2023). It would permit school staff to have the title of school guardians while carrying guns on school property. The bill is in place so that teachers who want to has a chance to defend themselves and their students if teachers are given the right to carry weapons (Blackmarr, 2023). Teachers and their students’ lives are in the shooter’s hands if they are unarmed. Without a weapon, a teacher has no chance of defending themselves or their students. According to Bryant (2018), the goal of permitting teachers to carry weapons is to give people the freedom to exercise their fundamental human right to the defense of life and liberty. The rationale of the issue is there are not enough

3 resources to station law enforcement at every school, so the bill suggests teachers can at least be armed, prepared, and trained to act quickly. Supporters and Opposers of Policy Senate Angela Hill is one supporter that will allow teachers to carry a concealed weapon on school property. A local parent applauds the legislation, noting the recent spate of violent occurrences in Mississippi and the nation's educational systems (McCoy, 2023). Some parents believe there should be no problems with teachers retaining additional protection on them, if the law is correctly applied. The main responsibility, according to Tindell, whose department is in charge of managing and supporting the program, is to safeguard students and the school from an active shooter. The supporters also believe that teachers had a right to take a stand and fight for their Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. The idea of arming teachers is opposed by some educators and parents. Representative John Hines raised concerns about the bill’s requirement that guardians carry a gun with them at all times, calling it “overkill” (McCoy, 2023). School adminstators are concerned about the higher risk that comes with having more weapons on school grounds. Most districts will not likely participate in the program due to the hazards involved, including the possibility of accidents involving carrying a gun and significant increase in insurance costs (James, 2023). Another issue with this policy is that most insurance companies will not participate in this program. According to James (2023) one insurance company has already informed Marcus Burger of Ross and Yerger, a local insurance brokerage, that it has no intention of covering any liabilities associated with the program.

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4 In my opinion, I can see the pros and cons on both sides of Senate Bill 2079. No matter how it happens, criminals and those with mental illnesses who want to hurt others by using firearms will be able to get their hands on a gun. Therefore, other citizens will be able to defend themselves if and when a threat from a person armed with a gun occurs. As one parent noted, whether our children are with us or not, we must always take precautions to keep them safe (McCoy, 2023). Most schools have security officers and not police officers within the school system. Honestly, there are just not enough officers to be out of every school at least not the amount of law enforcement that would be needed. We also need to consider the fact that the concern should be on what weapons kids are bringing into the schools as well. School is a place where the teachers and students should feel safe. There are so many questions that need to be asked when bringing firearms into the schools surrounded by thousands of students. Such as how will guns be used and stored? How do we ensure kids will not get access to them? Hines raised the question if a teacher accidently fires a gun because it fell out of the holster or if there is a fight between students and they try to break it up and one of the students snatches the teacher’s gun and someone else who was not involved get shot, how would this be handled (James, 2023). I would oppose the idea of teachers carrying firearms in schools. If you look at the overall picture it is not safe for teachers or students because anything can happen and go wrong. Political officials must enact legislation that shield children from gun violence rather than placing the burden on teachers. History of Current Issue In July, the Mississippi Board of Education decided to repeal a rule from 1990 that prohibited anyone from bringing firearms into the state’s public elementary and secondary schools (Crown, 2023). Representative Nick Bain submitted a similar bill to Senate Bill 2079.

5 The 2016 Mississippi Church Protection Act, which permits places of worship to implement armed protection services (Crown, 2023). This program also had to go through training to carry a concealed firearm. According to Bain, the alteration he made to the Senate version was to require participants to make payments ranging from $100 to $500 per month (Crown, 2023). Another modification mandates that schools submit their training plans for approval to the department of Public Safety. In the past educators did not think teachers or other employees should be armed. All the shootings at schools in the past and recent school shootings are why these bills were created. Elected leaders feels our society would be much safer if teachers and other educators with valid concealed carry permits were permitted to carry firearms in areas, that are currently prohibited, were taught to respect firearms, and were trained to defend themselves effectively. Because of past issues and to reduce firearm accidents, Senate Bill 2079 provides teachers with a particular training on firearm safety. Potential Policy Alternatives of Current Issue Some lawmakers think to control gun laws and to protect the schools we should hold the gun industry accountable. Another option for safety strategies should include both preventive and intervention measures. Education officials in Mississippi made it clear that school districts in the state will soon be permitted to set their own policies for allowing armed individuals with enhanced carry license onto school grounds (Goldberg, 2023). They are also looking into initiatives that school districts can use to safeguard campuses such as keycard locks and lockdown buttons.

6 Additionally, buildings were updated to reduce the amount of time students spend going outside to switch between classrooms. The district has also increased the number of cameras and developed a lockdown capability that allows for the quick and easy closure of specific areas of the campus. However, the education department never changed its guidelines after the state legislature passed an enhanced carry law in 2012 that allowed people with enhanced permits to carry weapons on school grounds (James, 2023). Impact of Policy The policy will impact teachers, students, and their families. When a school shooting take place it also affects everyone in the community. People all throughout the world are fighting for a variety of things, including religious freedom and, more frequently, the future of their children. Which leads people to wonder whether educational institutions are even a safe place for kids. Despite parent’s and teacher’s best effort to protect children from gun violence, this relentless attack of exposure has an impact on young people’s wellbeing. Instead of making judgments that would increase the number of guns in their classroom and put our kids at risk, the adults in the room need to make evidence-based policy decisions that will actually keep our kids safe (Goldberg, 2022). Children who are exposed to gun violence may experience physical harm in addition to negative consequences on their overall well-being and mental health. A whole generation of American children suffers when communities and schools are not safe from gun violence. For instance, everyone in the educational system and the community was impacted by the Texas elementary school tragedy that claimed the lives of 19 children. When a child witnesses gun violence, their lives are forever affected. They may know someone who has been shot, or they may live with someone they fear is going to get shot.

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7 Social Work Role Social workers who work with families in their practice should be ready to bring up the subject with individuals who have been impacted by gun violence. As part of their community building and resource mobilization efforts, social workers can also connect people to resources for social protection (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018). A child who has never been around weapons will likely not be aware of these fundamental safety measures, which puts them at a higher risk of getting hurt or being injured by guns in homes or school facilities. Social workers can think about encouraging their clients who are at risk of getting shot to obtain gun safety education. Social workers can learn about local laws governing the possession, storage, and use of firearms rather easily through the database. Knowing state legislation might make it easier for social workers to discuss important concerns with individuals. Conclusion In conclusion, gun violence in schools is never easy on the teachers, students, parents, or the community. While doing my research on gun violence, I have learned why the Senate Bill 2079 was created and why it is important to some and not so important to others. I think no matter where you go, it is not safe, and guns are everywhere. Access to guns is very easy to get today, you can simply purchase them off the street. I do understand why educators feel that guns should not be allowed in schools. I feel in a sense that they feel they are increasing the risk to the lives of all students. There are still a lot of questions that needs to be answered during this process of the program. During my research I noticed the main focus was training teachers on how to use the gun if they had to use it.

8 The main concern would be where the guns would be stored and how quickly they would be able to access the weapon if a shooter entered the building. I believe no matter what laws are in place, we still would be nervous every time our children walk out the door to school. Even if there is still more that can be done to address the problems that mentally ill offenders face, having this discussion by itself will not resolve the problems associated with gun violence (Goldberg, 2022). It also calls for society to devise strategies to reduce the real numbers of children and teenagers who are first exposed to gun violence. This is no easy undertaking given the many places in our world, including families, communities, schools, and the media, that depict violent scenarios.

9 References Blackmarr, E. (2023, March 28). Senate Bill 2079 awaits Miss governor’s signature . WDAMT. https://www.wdam.com Bryant, S. (2018, March 13). Why we Should Allow Teachers to Bear Arms . KQED. https://www.kqed.org Crown, K. (2023, March 10). ‘ Guardian’ Program for Guns In School Passes Mississippi House. Free Press. https://www.misissippifreepress.org Goldberg, M. (2022, July 25). Mississippi Schools Could Make Their Own Gun Policies. Associated Press. https://www.usnews.com James, J. (2023, March 24). Bill to arm school employees raises concern about liability. Mississippi Today. https://mississippitoday.org Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, Jr. G. H. (2018 ). Understanding generalist practice (8 th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning McCoy, M. (2023, March 11). Parent in favor of proposed Mississippi school safety bill. WJTV. https://www.wjtv.com Senate Bill 2079: Concealed Carry in Schools. (2023, February 6). Mississippi First. https://www.mississippifirst.org

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