gun control

Lawmaker Is Against Arming Teachers Because They’re ‘Ladies’

Harry Shiver. Photo: Alabama Legislature

With increased calls to arm teachers after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting, it’s heartening to see a Republican lawmaker stand up against that idea. To point out that it’s absurd to introduce even more guns into schools, to place that immense responsibility on an educator, to dedicate money to that plan when schools are already struggling to get basic supplies. Fortunately Alabama state representative Harry Shiver has [touches earpiece] ah wait, scratch that — he just doesn’t want guns in schools because of women teachers.

WFSA reported that on Thursday, while arguing against a proposed bill to arm teachers in his state, Shiver invoked “lady teachers” in his statements:

“We don’t need to have a lady teacher in a school that’s got a firearm,” he said. “I taught for 32 years, and it’s mostly ladies that’s teaching, and they got more things to worry about than a gun.”

He also brought it up to AL.com:

“I’m not saying all (women), but in most schools, women are (the majority) of the teachers. Some of them just don’t want to (be trained to possess firearms). If they want to, then that’s good. But most of them don’t want to learn how to shoot like that and carry a gun.”

So close to making a solid argument and yet, so far.

Lawmaker Is Against Arming Teachers Because They’re ‘Ladies’