If you carry your firearm on a regular basis, you probably do it so you can protect yourself if the need arises. As such, you certainly understand why someone else would opt to carry a firearm for self-defense, right?

I sure do.

But what happens when the person who is carrying it is someone who’s not actually permitted to do so? I don’t mean “not permitted” as in they don’t have a carry permit, either. I mean, it’s not legal for them to do so?

Well, even if you don’t approve, you may still understand it.

Now, what if it was kids carrying guns to school for that reason?

Jefferson County Public Schools has discovered at least ten guns on campus so far this year, and some behavioral therapists and police believe students are bringing the weapons to class for their own protection.

The most recent gun on JCPS campus was found Tuesday at Marion C. Moore School. The principal sent a letter to parents that said the weapon was found in a student’s backpack and was never used in a threatening manner. Louisville Metro Police told WAVE 3 News the gun was stolen and loaded.

…

Gwynn said it’s possible some students are bringing guns to school because they don’t feel safe, but instead, they should reach out to a trusted adult.

“Don’t put everybody else in danger because you feel like you’re in danger,” Gwynn said, offering advice to students who bring guns to school. “Let a counselor know, an adult, somebody who can possibly help you out.”

In other words, kids are bringing guns to school to protect themselves.

And let’s be honest, it’s not just about what’s happening in school, either. As violent crime skyrockets, many of these kids are concerned about the way to and from school, too.

I can’t condone it, but I certainly understand it. It’s not what I thought, but I can understand it.

The truth of the matter is that while it may be possible to tell an adult at school that there’s a threat there, any protection from that won’t extend beyond the campus boundaries. Couple that with the fact that students are forbidden from carrying anything they can really use as a self-defense weapon, and you’ve got a problem.

Now, I’m not saying we should let kids carry weapons to school. Some kids would be fine with it, others wouldn’t and we all know it.

What I am saying is that if you want to reduce the potential of a kid bringing a gun to school, you might want to focus on making them safer both on campus and off so they won’t feel the need to do so. Most of them aren’t that worried about what will happen to them on school grounds–they know the worst they’ll get is beaten up, and while that sucks, it’s not life-threatening. What they’re probably worried about is what happens after they step off-campus.

So you need to make it safer in both places by stepping up and doing what’s right, not what activists claim is right. That means making arrests, stepping up police presence, and when people get arrested, making it so they’re not right back on the streets ready to break the law yet again.

Do that and you’ll start to see a drop in guns in schools.