Nationwide shootings have left schools concerned for the safety of their students and looking for ways to prevent future occurrences. One suggestion is to arm teachers, but Hawaii hasn’t taken that step like other places have. “I think the emphasis should be more on prevention, recognition, and reporting,” said Roy Yamamoto, director of Safety and Security at BYUH. “I don’t think that here on this campus there is a need for [armed faculty].” As well as a lack of necessity, Yamamoto explained the training of staff and security, as well as the storage of weapons, could be more high maintenance than it is worth. In the worse case scenario here on campus, police are nearby at Kahuku and can be here fairly quickly. Lawmakers here in Hawaii have had their own response to shootings in a Denver movie theater and Connecticut elementary school. In an Associated Press article it says that they “responded by introducing proposals to start a gun buyback program, limit the sale of ammunition to lawful gun owners and increase background checks for people with mental health issues. But all of those proposals have failed.” "Hawaii has some of the toughest gun control laws already," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Karl Rhoads. "There's not that many pukas (holes) to fill." According to AP, “A board that oversees schools in rural Dolores County [Colorado] voted in February to allow the principal of Dove Creek High School and the superintendent to double as security officers, who under state law are allowed to carry guns on elementary, middle and high school campuses. The pair will receive an additional $1 salary and must complete a concealed-carry course.” Colorado lawmakers have passed strict legislation as a response to the recent shootings. The legislation will set limits on the ammunition in magazines as well as expanding background checks. "I think it will make it more difficult for people to get guns who shouldn't have them, and that's really the goal," said Democratic Rep. Beth McCann on the expanded background checks. Around Hawaii, there’s not much news about local shootings, but students say having additional safety never hurts. “I think that having trained and armed teachers is a good thing,” said Taylor Bobbitt, a freshman in psychology from California. “However, I also believe that the guns need to be locked and hidden in a place easily accessible to the teacher only. With teens and children, accidents can happen. I believe it should be regulated.”
