After the recent shooting at Sandy Hook, some political voices have called for arming teachers. The solution to stopping gun violence in schools is not to add more guns. Having an armed resource officer in some schools as a deterrent to day-to-day violence may be reasonable in certain well-considered circumstances. Arming teachers and administrators, on the other hand, is a recipe for disaster. While some teachers may enjoy the fantasy of a Clint Eastwood “make my day” moment, the reality is that most armed civilian defenders against a deranged gunman are shot and killed. Moreover, students may be caught in the crossfire.

Teachers would not have the training to function as SWAT teams do. When the real police arrive on the scene, encountering panicked teachers brandishing weapons would only add to the confusion. We could be faced with a war zone at school! Yet if we gave teachers the training required to shoot effectively in a crisis, they would have less time to devote to their primary job of teaching. Our educators can save more lives by preparing students to become successful, well-adjusted adults.

Armed guards are appropriate in some situations, but this is not a universal solution. An article in the EconoMonitor estimates it would cost $15 billion a year to put armed guards in every school. Assuming these guards worked perfectly, they would save only 10 lives per year. Imagine the improvements in education and counseling this money could buy! Common sense suggests investing in our schools can save more than 10 people a year.

The Wild West notion of arming teachers is a misguided ploy by the National Rifle Association to dissuade us from the real issue: gun control. The NRA even opposes common-sense measures such as a ban on military assault weapons. Simply put, gun control works. When Australia implemented effective gun control laws, armed murders in the country dropped by an astounding 59%. We need to strive for a culture that loves people rather than guns. Humanity will never be free of violence, but we can reduce the lethal consequences of troubled individuals by limiting the availability of guns. Just say no to guns in our school.