Like almost all of us in this country I have beliefs about what will help curb gun violence in schools. Notice I said curb, because stopping it completely is like saying nobody will ever do a wrong thing again. Not realistic today, tomorrow, or forever.

Having said that there are solutions to curbing gun violence, but at this time I choose not to write about that, because I don’t believe I will be heard even “armed” with the facts. I strictly want to talk about the idea of arming teachers who have been in the military and would “volunteer” to pack a weapon.

Of all the ideas circulating this is the most absurd of all. I am married to a retired teacher and from firsthand knowledge let me share with you the reasons why this is a bad idea. First and foremost, teachers are there to teach, period! This is why they are hired and this is what they signed up for.

I am a retired pastor. Should all pastors now arm themselves with guns when they go to church because of the crazed gunman that killed all those people in Texas? I think not!! Similarly, do clerks at a front desk in a hotel arm themselves because someone used that facility to commit a mass murder in Las Vegas? Have we lost all sanity and reason?

A second reason is that teachers are generally not paid highly, have a very stressful job dealing with kids all day, and have more pressure with all the paper work that has been added to their weekly duties. Do we now want to add this incredible burden of having them wear fire arms?

A third reason is no matter the training, what if the packing teacher thought there was a shooter, took out the weapon, and fired, realizing later that it was another teacher with a drawn weapon. The very thought is frightening.

A fourth reason is what are we saying to children? Have we landed in the 21st century version of the Wild West? Seeing a teacher with a weapon itself would create more fear than feeling safe.

Arming teachers is a horrible idea. God help us if this becomes a real option, because if it happens only God can then truly help us.