The Virginia state legislature is considering a bill that would allow school security officers to carry stun guns, pepper spray, and batons on school campuses. The house voted in favor of the bill. The bill is now in the Senate’s hands.
This is a dangerous bill. Stun guns and pepper spray can cause serious medical problems, including severe tissue and eye damage. They can even cause death. The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services cautions against the use of “force devices” in schools: “The use of ‘force devices’ is likely to incur major liability for the individuals using them and the school districts authorizing their use.”
This bill, if passed, risks escalating and magnifying violence in schools, not reducing it.