In September 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Bill 7030. Florida officially increased the list of states allowing teachers to carry firearms to improve school security. Besides, escalation is the number one source of school shootings, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Florida becomes the 15th States allow teachers to carry guns at school.  Nonetheless, a poll released by Florida Atlantic University shows that six months prior to the signature, only 37% of Florida voters wanted teachers to carry firearms on campus, and 51% opposed the idea, including 71% of Democrats, 52% of independents, and 30% of Republicans.

The American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association joined with Everytown for Gun Safety to oppose proposals in Florida and elsewhere to arm teachers and staff members, according to AP.

The configuration of a Florida classroom is like a melting pot where teacher race doesn’t match student race.

The State of Florida registered for the school year 2021-2022 that 67% of public-school teachers are white, while there is only 35% of white students. Similar variation is also visible for the other races: 14% of black teachers and 20% of black students; 17% of teachers and 36% of Hispanic students, and the last categories are below 4% according to a report of the U.S. Department of Education.  Before the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where 17 people lost their lives, a previous bill was already introduced by lawmakers in the Florida House. Among them was Rep. Greg Steube, who sponsored a bill that allowed teachers with training to carry concealed weapons on school campuses after approval from the school district.

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Even though the bill has been in effect since 2019, many school districts are still opposed to arming their teachers. But, Steube says, “the bill excludes teachers that perform class duty.”

According to the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, from January 1970-June 2022, 43% of the shooters were students, 23% of the shooting happened in the parking lot, and 37% of the situation that led to the shooting was an escalation of disputes.

Despite what the Republicans give as arguments. On the other side, democrats claimed, “A gun being in a classroom; however, it is that they’re planning to do it … just the concept brings a different environment for those children,” according to an interview that Braynon gave to Wbur, a local radio station.

Senator Braynon suggested that if teachers shoot students and claim self-defense, they’d likely be acquitted by juries. It was a reference to Florida’s “stand your ground” law that allows the use of deadly force if someone feels threatened.