Ever since I was a little girl, I have always dreamed of being a teacher. When my little sister was born, I would sit at the table during dinnertime and teach her words. As I got older, I would set up classes in my room with my dolls, and teach them how to write cursive, and how to do math.

Now, as a junior in high school, I have my career all planned out. I know that I want to go to college and study English and education. I dream of being able to teach in other countries and study abroad. Teaching has been my aspiration for so long, I don’t think I would know what to do with myself if it wasn’t in my future.

But recently, in light of the recent Florida school shooting, the NRA and President Donald Trump have both endorsed a proposal to arm teachers with guns, intended to aid in a potential school shooting.

I can understand how this could possibly help in a hypothetical school shooting, but in NO WAY does this make any classroom safer. Accidental gun deaths in the U.S are incredibly high, with over 3,800 people in the U.S.  dying from unintentional shootings from 2005-2010.  Not to mention, over 33 percent of these victims are minors.

Statistics show that on average, states with the highest gun ownership levels had nine times the rate of
unintentional firearms deaths, compared to states with the lowest gun ownership levels. Aka, more guns=more deaths, and if you apply this to schools, the proposal is not just risky, but it’s downright dangerous.

These statistics directly contradict President Trump’s accusation that,  “A “gun free” school is a magnet for bad people.” Actually, Mr. President, the more guns you put anywhere, the more people die.

My teachers should not have to take responsibility for my life in a dangerous situation. The US government needs to take responsibility for the hundreds of thousands of lives lost due to gun violence, and STOP it.

If this is the future the American education system is looking forward to, you can count me out of it.