Guntersville, - State Rep. Will Ainsworth (R - Guntersville) on Wednesday began airing a statewide radio ad campaign in support of his legislation that allows public school teachers who volunteer for law enforcement certification to carry firearms in case of active shooter attacks.
With the radio buy, Ainsworth is the first candidate for lieutenant governor to begin airing commercials in the 2018 election cycle. Portions of the script for the radio ad read:
“. . .I’m Will Ainsworth. I know this is going to be politically incorrect, but so be it. More gun control is not the answer. Using this tragedy to promote a liberal political agenda is not okay. As a dad, I know we have to keep our kids safe, but leaving all of the guns to the bad guys is not the answer. . .
. . .That’s why I wrote a bill to allow specially-trained teachers to carry firearms on school campuses. Heaven forbid a shooter ever enters an Alabama school, but if they do, we owe it to our kids to protect them with more than a No. 2 pencil. . .”
Under the provisions of Ainsworth’s House Bill 435, which currently has 33 co-sponsors and is similar to laws on the books in at least 19 other states, specially selected teachers and administrators who undergo a thorough mental evaluation and successfully complete annual Alabama Peace Officers’ Safety and Training certification would have access to firearms during school hours if an active shooter scenario occurred.
Participation in the program would be voluntary, and while taxpayers would cover the cost of training, the selected educators would be required to provide their own firearms.
Much like undercover air marshals who patrol commercial air flights, the names of those authorized to carry firearms would be kept secret from the school population and public, but local law enforcement would be provided with a specific marker identifying the program’s participants.