Keeping Schools Safe: Armed Guards or Gun Free?

The view from both sides on role of guns in school safety.

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Battle Lines - Following the school shooting deaths at Shady Hook Elementary, the National Rifle Association's Wayne LaPierre said that "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” An NRA-funded task force on April 2 unveiled its plan for arming the good guys, but according to the Advancement Project and a coalition of civil rights groups, more guns in schools means more gun violence. Here's the view from both sides. — Joyce Jones (Photo: GettyImages)

Gun Control - After a year in which no progress was made on gun control, activists are gearing up to make the issue front and center in 2014. They're also going to hit lawmakers who do not support such measures where they hurt — at the polls. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Sticking to Their Guns - The National School Shield Task Force plan proposes the NRA implement a model-training program for armed school officers and personnel, who would be chosen based on the results of a background check, testing and relevant experience.  (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Lock It Down - The civil rights coalition calls for locking entrances after the start of school. In addition, teachers should be able to lock classroom doors. A staff person would be assigned to monitor a single point of entry to the school and be able to remotely unlock doors for students and authorized visitors. (Photo: Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

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Lock It Down - The civil rights coalition calls for locking entrances after the start of school. In addition, teachers should be able to lock classroom doors. A staff person would be assigned to monitor a single point of entry to the school and be able to remotely unlock doors for students and authorized visitors. (Photo: Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

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Self-Help - The NSS task force has created an Internet-based self-assessment tool that schools can use to access their security gaps and vulnerabilities. (Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

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Change the Rules - The NSS plan calls for states that prohibit anyone other than a sworn law-enforcement officer or licensed security guard to carry a firearm in schools to change current laws. (Photo: GettyImages)

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Hindsight - The civil rights coalition proposes the appointment of a specially trained safety ombudsman to monitor student and staff concerns about students who may pose a threat. That person also would take steps to intervene and ensure students receive mental health services or punitive measures are put in place. (Photo: GettyImages)

SRO - The NSS task force proposes that school districts and local law enforcement agencies enter into a contract that defines the duties and responsibilities of student resource officers. It says increasing juvenile arrests in schools is not the objective of hiring an SRO, but to support security and normal discipline. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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SRO - The NSS task force proposes that school districts and local law enforcement agencies enter into a contract that defines the duties and responsibilities of student resource officers. It says increasing juvenile arrests in schools is not the objective of hiring an SRO, but to support security and normal discipline. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

What's at Stake - "Section 5 prevents discrimination before it happens. Without it, we'd be filing lawsuits after a law is put in place and discrimination has already happened," said Judith Browne Dianis, co-director of Advancement Project. "With voting, you don't want to wait until after the discrimination occurs because that means your right to vote has been impacted."  (Photo: Earl Gibson III/Getty Images)

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Objection - "The real impact of armed guards in schools is a dramatic increase in students arrested for minor misbehaviors," said Judith Browne Dianis, Advancement Project co-director. In addition, she and others argue that police training "provides no communication or psychological skills for officers working with children and youth," particularly youth with mental health, special education-related issues. (Photo: Earl Gibson III/Getty Images)

Go National - The NSS says it is prepared, with funding and support from the NRA, to advocate and support school safety nationwide that includes state-of-the-art training programs and special pilot projects for armed school personnel. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Go National - The NSS says it is prepared, with funding and support from the NRA, to advocate and support school safety nationwide that includes state-of-the-art training programs and special pilot projects for armed school personnel. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)