Teachers should certainly have weapons in their possession for their own and their students’ protection
LARKANA: The Peshawar tragedy was certainly a massacre of unprecedented proportions. Teachers and staff members were made to watch the brutal killings of their students, and nothing was in their power to prevent the tragedy. Keeping in view the helplessness of teachers in the wake of such threats, the government has now decided to equip teachers with weapons.
Being a lecturer, I vehemently endorse the decision for the protection of students. Teachers should certainly have weapons in their possession for their own and their students’ protection. I often wonder what if some militants manage to get into my class; what will I do? Throw writing material at them?
Those who oppose this measure should think of it in this way: if your child is in a classroom, would you not want their teacher to protect him/her? If they do have a gun, they should know how to use it. If terrorists can enter schools and kill our children, then why shouldn’t teachers be trained to protect their students? I want teachers to be able to protect the students in my school. I want myself to be able to protect my students.
Asma Hussain Morio
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2015.
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