In the wake of the Parkland school shooting, people are questioning the best route to take in securing children's safety.
State Rep. Will Ainsworth is proposing that teachers be trained and allowed to carry a concealed fire arm.

However, others are saying metal detectors would be the best solution.
"I'm not a fan of arming teachers, I think our teachers have enough to worry about without that added stress," said Steven Patterson a father of two. "I would be more in favor of metal detectors or extra security guards who are well trained for that purpose."
Parents are not the only ones who are on board with the decision of metal detectors. Governor Kay Ivey said, that we have to find "some other way" than arming our teachers. We need to be creative and metal detectors could be one option.
WAAY 31 talked with a Huntsville mother who said she would feel safer with metal detectors, but "it would really be up to each individual school, [to decide] what they wanted for their staff. It shouldn't be mandatory but voluntary if they wanted to do it."
Madison City Schools Communications Director told WAAY 31, "Superintendent Robby Parker is not inclined to embrace metal detectors as a solution. He feels the best deterrent is more Security Resource Officers in the schools, and creating better communication cannels so that students get to know each other and their teachers better and feel comfortable reporting concerns to adults."
There are no permanent metal detectors in schools in the Tennessee Valley. If this turns into a legislative discussion, the biggest question would be how to pay for them.
The average metal detector costs around $5,000.
Related Content
- Metal detectors might protect students
- Decatur City Schools using metal detectors during basketball game
- Body scanners and metal detectors coming to the Morgan County Jail
- Police say man shot blaring smoke detector with a shotgun
- Sound the Alarm telethon giving away free smoke detectors
- Man violates protection order
- Zeigler Red Hots sausages recalled, may contain metal
- No smoke detector present in Scottsboro apartment fire that killed 3
- Smoke detector may not have been working during fatal Muscle Shoals fire
- Scottsboro Superintendent addressed measures being taken to protect staff and students