In the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, students and parents of Middletown High School are debating the need for armed officers in the school.

The Second Amendment allows people to bear arms, but there is discussion about what that means and in what circumstances.  Those who believe in gun control think the United States should revisit what types of guns people are allowed to have. The types of guns considered are versions of rifles and pistols, shotguns, and semiautomatic weapons.

 “Stand Up and Fight,” a platform by the National Rifle Association that supports having armed police officers guard schools, is one such approach that is being argued.

Some people believe that having more guns to protect people isn’t the answer because they feel a destructive approach, but that’s not the case. An armed officer in the school would protect students by being able to shoot any armed predator who has come to harm students.

MHS already has one armed officer in and out of the school and always on duty, and the amount of safety precautions taken has created a positive environment.  The officer watches who enters the school and keeps the school safe just by being present and visible.  Students feel safer just knowing he is there.

MHS has not had any gun violence due to the armed officer, but people in other schools still don’t want this extra precaution in their own schools.  With all the events that have happened in the past, it’s hard to understand how others don’t see how extra security in their schools would help.

People at other schools who don’t want armed security should just look at MHS as a good example for these types of problems and how to prevent them.

People have a right to guns in this country.  They have a right to protect themselves and that protection should be applied to everyday life in a school setting, because if not, events from the past will reoccur in the future and students and staff may not be safe.