Most Floridians Favor Armed Teachers and Staff in Schools

Sean Caranna the GRPC 2016

When I was at the Gun Rights Policy conference in Florida earlier this month, one of the presentations was about  the FASTER (Faculty / Administrator Safety Training & Emergency Response) program in Ohio.  The FASTER program has been and continues to be a tremendous success story. Staff and teachers love it, embrace it, and recommend it to others. 

 A survey done by the University of South Florida found that there was likely to be a favorable response if such a program were offered in Florida. From sunshinestatenews.com:

Most Floridians say they support trained staff carrying firearms on school campuses, according to a new survey released Tuesday.

The 2016 University of South Florida Sunshine State Survey found more than half of adult Floridians (56 percent) are in favor of allowing trained staff to carry firearms at schools.

Forty percent of Floridians say they are opposed to allowing firearms in schools, with 29 percent saying they are strongly opposed to the idea.

“Stronger supporters are males, working-age residents, whites, those living in affluent households, college graduates, and residents of the Orlando and North Florida areas,” the USF release said. Residents of the Orlando and North Florida areas are more likely to favor the idea.

Opposition comes from females, older Floridians, African-Americans, lower-income households, those with less formal education and residents of the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area.

Sean Caranna of Florida Carry is working to bring the FASTER program to Florida.

Jim Irvine's experience in Ohio is that those 11 percent that "oppose" trained staff carrying firearms will switch to "favor" once they understand the program.  It is likely that even a few "strongly opposed" will switch.

Most of the opposition is based on fear and ignorance.

Florida Carry has significant experience in lobbying the legislature in Florida.  That may be the place to start. A bill to authorize programs such as FASTER in Florida schools came close to making through the legislature last year, but was killed in the Senate, along with the open carry bill.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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