In an alarming incident that underscores the challenges of keeping our kids safe at school, a kindergarten teacher in Georgia was arrested after authorities found a loaded gun in her classroom. This troubling event comes amid a backdrop of increasing school safety concerns and the unsettling necessity for children to participate in active shooter drills.
The teacher, 39-year-old Lisa Harper, was employed at Maple Leaf Elementary School in Dallas, Georgia. On a Thursday afternoon, school staff detected the smell of alcohol on Lisa’s breath. When they searched her classroom for any open containers, they made a shocking discovery—a loaded firearm stashed in her purse, which was carelessly left on the floor beneath her desk. Yes, a kindergarten classroom filled with energetic five-year-olds.
Facing charges of possessing a weapon on school grounds and reckless endangerment, Lisa has since been released on bond. According to local law enforcement, she did test positive for alcohol. While it remains unclear if the school will take any disciplinary action, one thing is certain: storing a weapon in an unsecured purse under a desk in a room full of children is an incredibly reckless choice. Add alcohol into the mix, and it becomes downright terrifying.
Even if you believe in the controversial notion that “the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun,” or the absurd idea of arming teachers, it’s hard to argue that Lisa Harper is a poster child for either strategy. Increased gun presence in schools seems counterproductive, especially considering the number of accidental shootings involving children.
Regardless of her firearm training, her judgment went out the window the moment she entered a kindergarten classroom with a loaded weapon and alcohol on her breath.
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In summary, the arrest of Lisa Harper serves as a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring the safety of our children in schools. The combination of firearms and alcohol in an educational environment is a recipe for disaster, and hopefully, this incident prompts a serious reevaluation of policies regarding firearms in schools.