The recent Uvalde
massacre in which 21 people, including 19 children, were killed in a school
shootout has triggered a wave of responses across the United States. While
Democrats have urgently called for gun control legislation, Republicans believe
that one can only protect against guns through more guns. In such an attempt, the
state legislatures of Ohio and Louisiana are now considering laws to arm
teachers with guns.

While the idea of
arming teachers with weapons isn’t new, it hasn’t gathered a lot of steam. In
Texas, state which saw the Uvalde massacre, there is existing legislation
allowing teachers to carry guns to school. However, not many teachers have
signed up for the programme.

At least 28 states
in the US currently allow teachers or school staff to carry firearms. But there’s
little to show that such legislation has helped curb school shootings. Critics
of such laws say adding guns only adds to the risk of violence and doesn’t
reduce it.

“If you were to
introduce guns into schools, not only is it ineffective, but you’re introducing
more risk. How will guns be stored? How will folks be trained? When will guns
be used? How do you ensure kids won’t get access to them? How do you ensure a
gun isn’t used in a tense situation at school,” asked Rob Wilcox, federal legal
director at Everytown for Gun Safety, speaking to NBC News.

A section of
school security experts says many programmes allowing teachers to carry guns are
just cost-saving measures. “You can tell me all you want with your rhetoric
that school safety is a priority, but I will know when I look at your budget,
your actions and your leadership,” said Kenneth Trump, an expert for civil litigation
trials after shootings to NBC News.

The bill in Ohio
would reduce the threshold for carrying a weapon. The bill, if passed, would
serve to designate armed staff for school security and safety. In Louisiana, the
amended legislation allows permit-less concealed carry.