Lawmaker in Georgia wants to pay teachers $10,000 to carry guns in school.

At Austin Road Elementary School in Winder, GA, Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones held a press conference on October 25th to reveal an ambitious proposal. Jones suggested providing teachers with an annual stipend of $10,000 to receive firearms training and carry guns in schools, according to AP News.

The proposal also included strengthening existing school safety plans, introducing stricter standards, and increasing funding for certified school resource officers, who typically receive salaries and benefits of over $80,000. Jones argued that it was a proactive way to enhance school security and prevent shootings.

This idea was met with disapproval from many. Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators, was outspoken against the notion of anyone other than certified officers carrying firearms in schools. She urged for counselors and mental health interventions as more suitable solutions. Other critics raised concerns about the necessary training for individuals to use guns in emergency situations, and the potential for accidents, such as those involving trained police officers in the past.

Despite the opposition, there were some who supported the proposal. Barrow County Superintendent Chris McMichael expressed his support for increased funding to employ certified school resource officers. He also noted that the arming of other school employees would require careful examination by the school board. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith was enthusiastic, calling armed teachers “force multipliers” in the event of a shooting. The Professional Association of Georgia Educators, the state's largest teacher group, called for school safety funding to be integrated into the school funding formula for consistent financial support.

Georgia has allowed local school boards to authorize trained individuals, other than police officers, to carry firearms in schools since 2014. However, it is unclear how many districts have implemented this policy. In some districts, non-officers may carry firearms, but teachers are not included. Jones and his supporters emphasized that the proposed program would be voluntary, with no obligation to participate. It would only be approved by local school boards.

State Sen. Max Burns, a Republican from Sylvania, GA, intends to sponsor the legislation in 2024. He noted that the proposal does not involve mandates, but rather offers local school boards the flexibility to create programs that suit their unique needs.

At this time, there is no indication of whether prominent Republicans will back Jones’s legislation. The spokesperson for the state House Speaker Jon Burns stated that he had not yet reviewed the plan. The Governor’s office and State Superintendent Richard Woods did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The proposal is inspired by a similar one in Texas, which did not pass. The Texas plan proposed providing an additional $25,000 annually to teachers who completed firearms and mental health training, and first aid courses. This was in response to a shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that took the lives of 19 fourth-graders and two teachers. Rather than adopting the plan, Texas mandated that each school campus must have a certified officer, which has proven to be difficult due to financial constraints and a shortage of police officers.

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