Poll Reveals Most Teachers Oppose Being Armed With Guns In Schools

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Teachers are weighing in on the nationwide debate to bring guns into the classroom.

A new Gallup poll reveals that most teachers are opposed to the idea.

The poll surveyed about 500 teachers of all grade levels nationwide.

An overwhelming majority of teachers, 73 percent, oppose guns in the classroom. Fifty-eight percent say arming teachers would make schools less safe.

"The NRA happens to be very good people by the way, they want to do the right thing," said President Donald Trump in the past.

President Trump has been pushing the idea of arming qualified school personnel, after 17 students and teachers were gunned down in classrooms in Parkland, Florida.

In Maryland, there's been major pushback.

"Yeah, I don't think we should be handing out guns to drama teachers and biology teachers," Gov. Larry Hogan said.

The Baltimore City Teacher's Union added: "Guns should not be in our classrooms, period."

"It's going to change the culture of our schools. We want our schools to be places where kids feel good coming in and learning. And when they're looking around and seeing metal detectors and know there's weapons all over the place, that is not going to be good for learning," argued Betty Weller of the Maryland State Education Association.

The Gallup poll also revealed only 18 percent of teachers would be willing to carry a gun in a school building.

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