School Climate & Safety Report Roundup

Survey: Most Teachers Not Likely to Carry Guns

“Guns and Safety in Our Schools”
By Nirvi Shah — March 05, 2013 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

While some state lawmakers and school districts have their sights set on arming school employees, a survey of nearly 11,000 educators finds that a big majority of them would be unlikely to carry a weapon in class.

The survey results, released last week by the for-profit professional-development company School Improvement Network, show that about 72 percent of teachers and administrators said they would be unlikely to bring a firearm to school even if they were allowed to do so. And of those who already own firearms, fewer than 40 percent would bring them to class if given the choice. About 36 percent of those surveyed said they own a gun.

The Midvale, Utah, company conducted the online survey in late January, about six weeks after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The survey included teachers and administrators from all 50 states and from districts of all types.

While about 92 percent of respondents generally feel safe at school, the survey also found some—about 14 percent of those who feel safe overall—worry about gun violence on campus.

Teachers and administrators said their schools have already taken steps to improve security since the Sandy Hook shootings. About 33 percent said their schools have added new door-locking systems, leave fewer doors open, or have taken other steps involving access. Another third said their schools have added security cameras or new lockdown procedures. About 20 percent said their schools have done more safety drills specifically on how they would deal with an armed intruder—something that had become more common even before Sandy Hook. And 10 percent said their schools have added or increased police presence on campus.

Although educators aren’t very interested in carrying guns themselves, 88 percent of those surveyed said an armed police officer on campus would improve safety.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the March 06, 2013 edition of Education Week as Survey: Most Teachers Not Likely to Carry Guns

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Mathematics Webinar How to Build Students’ Confidence in Math
Learn practical tips to build confident mathematicians in our webinar.
Student Achievement K-12 Essentials Forum How to Build and Scale Effective K-12 State & District Tutoring Programs
Join this free virtual summit to learn from education leaders, policymakers, and industry experts on the topic of high-impact tutoring.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Climate & Safety States Emphasize School Violence Prevention, Not Just Security
In the wake of school shootings in their states last year, legislators hope to avert future tragedies.
7 min read
Local residents pray during a candlelight vigil following a shooting at Perry High School, on Jan. 4, 2024, in Perry, Iowa.
Local residents pray during a candlelight vigil following a shooting at Perry High School, on Jan. 4, 2024, in Perry, Iowa. The deaths in school shootings last year have led to new legislation in a half-dozen states.
Charlie Neibergall/AP
School Climate & Safety Leader To Learn From One Leader’s Plan to Cut Chronic Absenteeism—One Student at a Time
Naomi Tolentino helps educators in Kansas City, Kan., support strong school attendance.
9 min read
Naomi Tolentino Miranda leads a meeting on student attendance at J.C. Harmon High School on Jan. 16, 2025 in Kansas City, Kansas. Tolentino Miranda showed school administrators recent data reflecting positive progress in combating chronic absenteeism.
Naomi Tolentino leads a meeting on student attendance at J.C. Harmon High School on Jan. 16, 2025 in Kansas City, Kansas. Tolentino showed school administrators recent data reflecting positive progress in combating chronic absenteeism.
Erin Woodiel for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Q&A What a 'Positive, Proactive Approach' to Chronic Absenteeism Looks Like
A Kansas City, Kan., leader explains how her district shifted its approach to chronic absenteeism.
6 min read
Naomi Tolentino Miranda walks into J.C. Harmon High School on Jan. 16, 2025 in Kansas City, Kansas. Tolentino Miranda is the Coordinator for Student Support Programs and often visits school administrative teams to check on their progress combating chronic absenteeism among their students.
Naomi Tolentino walks into J.C. Harmon High School on Jan. 16, 2025, in Kansas City, Kan. Tolentino is the coordinator for student support programs and often visits school administrative teams to check on their progress in lowering chronic absenteeism among their students.
Erin Woodiel for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Opinion Schools Can’t Just ‘Return to Normal’ After a Climate Disaster
This is what’s missing when education leaders urge schools to return to normalcy too soon after crises or disasters.
Jaleel R. Howard & Sam Blanchard
5 min read
A jungle gym melted and destroyed by the Eaton Fire is seen at a school, Jan. 15, 2025, in Altadena, Calif.
The Easton Fire melted a jungle gym outside a school in Altadena, Calif.
John Locher/AP