Poll: Only 7 Percent of Teachers Want to Carry Guns in Schools

Only 7 percent of the nation’s teachers want to carry guns to school, according to the results of a new Gallup poll released Thursday. More than a third of teachers surveyed said they want tougher gun-control legislation; 20 percent favor an assault-weapons ban, while 10 percent want background checks for potential gun owners. Preventative measures against school shootings regained national attention following the Feb. 14 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre that left 17 people dead. Last month, President Trump suggested training and arming teachers as a way to prevent new school shootings; the National Rifle Association has doubled down on its effort to arm school staff, a talking point the group has held since the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre. In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting, several teachers told The Daily Beast that arming teachers is “irresponsible” and they would “resign immediately” if ordered to carry a weapon in class.