I am a retired teacher and a grandmother. I recently testified against a bill that would allow teachers to be armed in school (LD 52) and another that would allow individuals with a concealed weapons permit to carry in schools (LD 1557).

Bringing a loaded weapon into a school setting is a disaster waiting to happen. There is the risk that a student could get their hands on the weapon either by accident or by overpowering the teacher or other adult. These bills would actually cause a school shooting to occur.

Instead I support bills to tighten the present loopholes in our background checks (LD 168) and to require a 72-hour waiting period when purchasing a weapon (LD 60). I also support a bill to prohibit the sale and possession of rapid-fire modifications devices such as bump stocks (LD 1340).

I found it interesting that the same legislators who sponsored bills for school staff to be armed are against laws that could prevent criminals from obtaining a weapon and are against a ban on rapid-fire devices.

It’s difficult to believe they care about school shootings when their solution is for teachers to assume the role of armed security, on top of teaching and maintaining responsibility for a room full of children, with a hand gun that is no match against a weapon that can fire 15 rounds per second.

If they really cared about our students they would support bills that will prevent school shootings from occurring in the first place.

Cathy Harris, Mechanic Falls

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