A police officer, who is also a student at Darton State College in Albany, Georgia, was reported to have been escorted from a classroom at the request of the teacher, according to WLAB.
The teacher was said to have been "uncomfortable" with a gun in the classroom and asked that the officer be removed from the class. The student/police officer was reported to have cooperated and to have left without incident.
Darton State College policies detail a prohibition on firearms on the campus, with the specific exception of law enforcement officers, according the college's website.
"Students are prohibited from possession of firearms in or on college property except by law enforcement officers, judges and district attorneys. The possession or use of any other offensive weapons is prohibited."
Bill Holt responded to Ms. Viera that police officers must carry their weapons "24/7" because they have sworn to uphold the law and are "obligated" to maintain this whether they are off-duty or not. Holt also questioned what could be wrong with a properly qualified police officer carrying a gun on a college campus.
The dramatic increase in mass school shootings has started a conversation on the topic of whether teachers should be permitted, or required, to carry guns in schools. Fifty-six percent of users at Debate.org feel that teachers should have firearms in the classroom, with many citing an armed teacher as an effective way to protect students. Forty-four percent of users polled by the website stated a belief that guns in classrooms will result in more violence and accidental shootings.
