Second Amendment Teachers

I am pretty sure the civics lessons, which Mary Catherine Roes taught did not include anything about the Second Amendment—except maybe mentioning in passing it as the National Guard Enabling Clause. So I think we can assume when Lacey, Washington Police arrested her at the Middle School she taught at for carrying a .38 Special in her purse, it was not her intent to make any kind of constitutional point.

And the facts bear this out. Last year Miss Roes was assaulted by her husband—during which a gun was pointed at her head. Since only foolish women think restraining orders are the end all and be all, she purchased a gun and obtained a license to carry. Although prior to becoming a teacher she had worked as an MP she spent some time brushing up on her firearms skills.

Ms. Roes tearfully told police officers she was aware there was a state law prohibiting anyone but law enforcement officers to be armed on Washington State school properties. She said she thought if caught she would just be asked to put it in her car. And she tried to explain how fearful she was of her husband who was currently out on bail awaiting trial for false imprisonment, assault and malicious mischief.

But none of that mattered. The case was prosecuted. Perhaps most devastating to the former Teacher of the Year was that her career was over. The School District asked the State Superintendent to institute kangaroo court civil procedures to permanently revoke her teaching certificate.

Of course, the soccer Moms were all concerned about this huge danger their children were exposed to. The School sent home a letter and had a special meeting. They adopted some procedures to help with early identification of this type of criminal element in their midst.

Thirty-seven states (and of course the District of Columbia) criminalize the possession of firearms on school property.

Oregon high school English teacher Shirley Katz is in a similar situation. She insists she needs to take her handgun with her to work because she has reason to fear her ex-husband could show up and try to harm her. She is asking a state court to permit her to exercise her second amendment right.

Superintendent Phil Long insists employees and students are safer without guns on campus at South Medford High School and their lawyers will be making that argument in court.

It is true the school does already have a safety plan for the situation Miss Katz fears.

That plan provides if somebody threatening comes in, you try to avoid eye contact, and do whatever they say.

All these laws were enacted in response to Columbine and the other school shootings. Never mind that not one of those individuals had a license to carry. And none seemed to mind that the school might be designated a Gun-Free Zone.

No one likes facts. But it is interesting the role some licensed gun owners have played in the school violence problem.

In 1997, in Pearl, Mississippi, a disturbed high school student went on a shooting spree that left several people dead or injured. Fortunately, the school's assistant principal had a gun in the trunk of his car. However, in compliance with the Gun-Free Schools Act, the car was parked more than 1,000 feet away from the school. Even so, the school official was able to retrieve his weapon and disarm the shooter several minutes before the local police arrived. His heroic actions probably also violated the Gun-Free Schools Act, but in view of the circumstances, prosecutors did not pursue the matter

The following year, a gunman entered a school in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, where he killed or injured several teachers and students. A restaurant owner across the street from the school heard the commotion. He grabbed his shotgun, ran to the school and persuaded the shooter to surrender his weapon. The police showed up a few minutes later.

In 2001 an off-duty police officer was registering his daughter at Santee High School near San Diego, California. He heard gunshots, drew his service weapon and forced the shooter to take cover. The actions of this brave officer undoubtedly averted further deaths and injuries.

In 2002 a disgruntled former student with a firearm went to the campus of Appalachian Law School in Grundy, Virginia, where he shot and killed the dean of the school and two students. A pair of students heard the shots and raced to their cars to retrieve their handguns. When confronted with superior firepower, the shooter surrendered.

There may be more examples. But what I cannot find is one situation in which a teacher’s lawfully owned gun was used in a murderous school rampage. Teachers, often on the front line of violence, are just another casualty of the attacks on the Second Amendment. They have even fewer rights than most of us—they can’t arm themselves for protection against very real personal dangers—like psychotic homicidal husbands and boyfriends.

I doubt any crunchy court in Oregon will be of any assistance to Miss Katz, any more than the latte slurping Washington State jurists assisted Miss Roes.

But being an eternal optimist I remain hopeful that some day reason and the constitution will arise again from the ashes of the Nanny State.


P.S. I just saw on CNN there has been another school shooting. This one in Cleveland, Ohio. Someone didn't care about it being a Gun-Free Zone and came in and shot at least one teacher and three students.

There was an interview with one of the student witnesses. He said before the shooting began one of the teachers was present. He said that he did not want to say the teacher's name--but she did not do anything.

She was probably following a school safety policy similar to the one they have at South Medford High School.

~Becky