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# Arming teachers is an idea that would fail
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/arming-teachers-is-an-idea-that-would-fail-editor/
- Published: 2006-10-12T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:38:53.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Suzanne Verge President, Los Angeles Chapter Million Mom March United with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence*

Mr. Gottlieb and Mr. Workman missed the mark and the facts on why our schools are “Gun-Free School Zones” (SMDP, Oct. 7-8, page 5). They forgot to mention the facts that the NRA (National Rifle Association) doesn’t like to report. According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, a little more than one-half of the gun-related deaths in the United States are due to suicides, about 44 percent are due to homicides, about 3 percent are due to accidents, and only 1 percent due to legal intervention.

Studies have shown that a gun in the home is more likely to be used to take the life of a family member or acquaintance than to be used against an intruder. I believe if we arm teachers in our schools, the guns would not be used against intruders, but rather used in anger against a colleague, parent or student.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 12, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/101206.pdf?ref=smdp.com)