Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions about the Arming of Teachers in K-12 Schools based on Their Experience in the University Campus Carry Environment

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 2023

Department

Teaching & Educational Leadership

Abstract

In the United States, many preservice teachers attend universities where the concealed carrying of handguns is permitted. Like many other university students throughout the nation, they have grown up in the era of school gun violence and are no stranger to the possibility of an active shooter event occurring at school. This study used a quantitative analysis based on Douglas and Wildavsky’s (1983) Cultural Theory of Risk to examine whether preservice teachers’ experience with campus carry affects their views on being armed in K-12 classrooms. A sample of preservice teachers (N = 170) were selected from a public university in Arkansas. Results suggest that regional culture has a significant impact on preservice teachers’ attitudes toward the concealed carrying of handguns in universities and their support for arming teachers in K-12 schools.

First Page

4

Last Page

27

Publication Title

Arkansas Association of Teacher Educators

Share

COinS