Florida's Guardian program - What’s required for teachers who’re participating
Bottom Line: Sometimes the most powerful news is what isn’t news. For all the consternation about the expansion of Florida’s Guardian program, which included the ability for classroom teachers to participate, here we are now three days into the program playing out and miraculously it’s working. Now of course this isn’t a surprise to those who are informed and are driven by information rather than emotion and political agendas. With increased attention on the program this week with the expansion of the law kicking in I’ve had questions crop up again about teacher training, requirements, etc. I’ve addressed this topic a few times up to now but here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the requirements that any participating teachers satisfied:
- 80 hours of firearms instruction
- 16 hours of instruction on precision pistol instruction
- 8 hours of instruction and experience in shooting simulators
- 8 hours of instruction in active-shooter or assailant scenarios
- 8 hours of instruction in defensive tactics
- 12 hours of instruction on legal issues
- 12 hours of certified, nationally recognized diversity training
As of now there are 1,084 qualified guardians that have satisfied those requirements. The firearm training requirements are more rigorous than those required by the Police Academy. As of now 11 school districts have enabled full use of the state’s Guardian program. Those are the facts. Yes, there are guns in the classrooms of schools right now around Florida. But they’re in the hands of professionally trained educators that have passed more rigorous training than most in law enforcement. There are two sides to stories but one side to facts. These are the facts. Remember, the most pervasive form of bias in news media is omitting information. That’s why aside from my reporting you’ve probably not had this explained to you nor will you have focus placed on how the program is working. Contrast that with how much media attention and coverage was provided to the doomsayers and protesters. If news media had dedicated even half of the time they shared on the opposition to the expansion of the Guardian program to sharing this truth, we’d have more informed people, less hysteria and safer schools.