In the immediate aftermath of Parkland, the state legislature in Florida made some questionable moves. Most notably, a ban preventing anyone under the age of 21 from buying a long gun. It wasn’t the finest moment for a state often called “The Gunshine State.”

However, people don’t think rationally in the midst of tragedy. That’s how laws like that get passed in the first place, and it’s why gun control advocates want immediate action on gun control. They know if people think about it, they change their minds.

When the legislature in Florida passed the measure, the thinking was that such a law would keep students safe. After all, Parkland was carried out by an 18-year-old who bought a long gun.

Now that they can think a bit more rationally, the same state senate that passed the ban has passed a measure that really will keep students safe.

The Florida Senate has approved an expansion to the school safety package originally passed following the Parkland Shooting.

A provision that would allow for teachers to be armed was kept in, to the disapproval of teachers unions and gun control advocates.

Following the Parkland shooting, lawmakers considered including classroom teachers as part of its Guardian Program but left them out. Now many have had a change of heart.

“I wish we had a law enforcement officer on every floor of every school. We do not and we cannot,” said Senator Ed Hooper.

ESE teacher Lissa O’Rourke from St. Johns County worries about unintended consequences.

“ESE students sometimes have a hard time self-regulating and that could become a dangerous situation if there was some kind of gun in the classroom,” said O’Rourke.

Then don’t carry.

ESE is special education. Yes, these students have a hard time self-regulating, but if you’re a teacher in such an environment and you don’t feel safe carrying a gun for whatever reason, then don’t. No one is trying to force a gun on you, and I’d personally oppose them doing so.

Granted, I don’t see the problem. It’s the teacher who is armed, not the students, but whatever.

No, the problem here is that teachers use their own reticence to carry a gun as justification to oppose any teacher carrying a firearm. However, look at reality for a moment.

Despite the numerous laws that were designed to block the Parkland killer’s acts, he still killed innocent students. Laws meant to prevent these acts can, at best, only do so much.

Maniacs are still going to kill people.

However, imagine you had the opportunity not to be a fish in a barrel. Imagine you had the means to fight back. Would you?

One time in my life, I didn’t act. I let something bad happen out of fear, and it has haunted me for the rest of my life, and it was nothing on a scale like a mass shooting. I have never allowed myself to stand by since then and let things happen, regardless of fear, and there have been a few instances where it mattered. I know I sure as hell would rather get shot fighting than live the rest of my life knowing I could have done something but didn’t because I was too afraid.

All someone would need to do is make it so good people can act and many of them would. That’s something that will really keep kids safe at school.