Legal Issues Exploration by TERRANCE DIXON-LYNCH https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn Terrance Dixon-Lynch EDG 6305 en-us 2019-03-22 15:57:05 UTC 2025-11-09 18:07:19 UTC hello@padlet.com Step 1: My Professional Perspective tdixonlynch https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344309163 Upon graduating with my Master of Education degree in Guidance and Counseling, my desired educational position would be working as a middle school or high school counselor.]]> 2019-03-22 17:00:30 UTC https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344309163 Step 2: Exploration Option 2- American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Legal and Ethical Issues. tdixonlynch https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344313020 An issue identified on the ASCA website is that of using federal education funds to purchase firearms to arm educators.  ASCA issued a statement adamantly opposing any proposal directing funds away from programs that directly help improve student learning and academic achievement. 

Another issue ASCA has issued a position on is school counselors' legal, ethical, and moral responsibility to report child abuse and neglect.  Per the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 1974, School counselors are mandated to report suspected abuse and neglect to proper authorities and are critical in the early detection and recognition of these issues. According to ASCA, It is the absolute responsibility of school counselors to serve as child advocates. ]]> 2019-03-22 17:09:32 UTC https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344313020 Step 2: Exploration Option 2- American American Council on Education (ACE) Legal and Ethical Issues. tdixonlynch https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344500263 The American Council on Education has issued a report entitled 

Supporting the Culminating Stages of Faculty Careers: Legal Issues (2011), which focuses on the major legal issues concerning the areas of civil rights, contract, and tax law associated with faculty retirement incentives.  


A second legal issue identified on the ACE website is one concerning Dreamers, undocumented immigrants brought here as children and covered under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.  The legal issue is centered around President Trump’s decision in September 2017 to rescind the DACA program.  Thus far, federal courts have blocked the rescission allowing for DACA renewals but not new registrations. Additionally, while there is widespread support for permanent legal protection for Dreamers, Congress has also failed to act despite bipartisan support.
]]> 2019-03-23 22:22:14 UTC https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344500263 Step 3: Arming Educators tdixonlynch https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344509382 Mass shootings on school campuses has raised the issue of arming educators in order to protect students and staff should any future events happen.  There are proponents for and opponents against this idea and numerous legal issues surrounding this proposal.]]> 2019-03-24 01:11:04 UTC https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344509382 Step 4: Psychology Today- Arming Teachers: Good or Bad Idea? tdixonlynch https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344510220 Explores the issue of arming teachers as a solution to mass shooters in schools.]]> 2019-03-24 01:29:46 UTC https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344510220 Step 4: Angelo State University Library tdixonlynch https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344510942 Arming School Teachers: What Do We Know? Where Do We Go From Here? ]]> 2019-03-24 01:43:54 UTC https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344510942 Step 5: Summary tdixonlynch https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344511409 According to the research I conducted online, since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, the first recognized incident of a mass school shooting, there have been twelve mass school shootings in which four or more individuals have died.  In total, there has been more than 200 students and staff members killed or injured. It goes without saying that twelve shootings in twenty years does not bode well statistically, especially with the majority (7) happening within the last ten years.   

There are many who feel that arming educators is a direct way to deal with the issue of school safety.  Proponents for this measure also feel that arming educators could potentially deter future school shootings.  Their ideology is that properly trained men and women could more readily and in a more timely way address a school shooter or intervene in a school shooting situation.  This could possibly prevent the loss of students' or staffs' lives.  Furthermore, supporters for arming educators believe that doing so could deter individuals from following through with a school shooting knowing that an unknown number of educators would be armed to try and stop them.

There are many more who feel that arming educators is not the best approach to dealing with school safety or school shootings.  Opponents to arming educators cite a number of reasons for being against this measure.  One reason is it's not easy to kill someone.  Soldiers and police officers go through extensive education and training to prepare them for shooting at and potentially killing another human being.  According to Woolf (2018), "We should never underestimate the amount of skill and discipline that goes into being and remaining a good police officer or soldier" (para. 5).  Educators may not have access to the same level training or education.  A second opposition to arming educators is the weapons focus effect- when facing down the barrel of a gun, one tends to focus on the gun and not other features of the situation (Woolf, 2018, para. 7).  In a school shooting situation, the focus of responders may be on a hand holding a gun and not the entire context of the situation.  Conversely, an educator may mistake a responder or another educator for the shooter.  A third reason for opposition to arming educators is the effect weapons have when introduced into almost any context.  The potential for aggression rises, which could include an educator having a moment of anger, stress, and frustration lead to violence or a student in a fight trying to overpower a educator carrying a gun (Woolf, 2018).  

In the end, any school system's decision on arming educators will have individuals for and against it, to include educators themselves. 

                       Reference
Woolf, L. M. (2018, March 4). Arming teachers: Good or bad idea? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-fight-against-hate/201803/arming-teachers-good-or-bad-idea.]]> 2019-03-24 01:54:24 UTC https://padlet.com/tdixonlynch/tdk1nrbinqvn/wish/344511409