Manedwolf
member
JIM Doyle, rather. See bold text. He just stated the anti fear position in a nutshell. And Mark Green is against letting teachers be armed, too, Wisconsinites, take note in the election.
Doyle, Green agree: no guns in schools
By David Callender
In a rare show of unanimity, both Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and his Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, are condemning a Republican lawmaker's proposal to allow teachers and other school employees to carry guns at work.
Rep. Frank Lasee, R-Bellevue, says he will introduce a bill next year to allow teachers, principals, school custodians and other employees to carry concealed weapons on school premises if they complete a training course and are licensed.
Lasee said his proposal is a response to a spate of school violence, including last week's fatal shooting of Weston School Principal John Klang.
"This is a serious proposal to make our schools safer," he said in an interview.
Lasee said the measure was inspired by policies in Israel and Thailand, where he said teachers have been armed in order to counter the threat from "Muslim terrorists."
Both Doyle, who opposes a broader Republican effort to legalize carrying concealed weapons, and Green, who supports that bill, said they oppose Lasee's idea.
Doyle said the whole notion of allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons "would take away a tremendous tool the police have on the streets right now to keep us safe."
"Imagine a scene where somebody walks into a crowded room with a gun in his pocket and the police can't do anything about it because it's not a crime," Doyle said.
Doyle has vetoed Republican efforts to pass concealed carry legislation; Wisconsin is one of only two states that do not allow any form of concealed carry.
In an interview, Green noted that schools are already gun-free zones under both state and federal law.
"I support those laws," he said. "I helped create those laws. I don't think we should have guns in the schools."
Lasee's proposal also drew fire from Democratic attorney general candidate Kathleen Falk and one top-ranking Republican lawmaker, Senate President Alan Lasee.
In a statement, Falk called the proposal "an extremely bad idea" that "would decrease public safety, not improve it."
Falk's Republican opponent, J.B. Van Hollen, did not return phone calls seeking comment. Van Hollen has said previously he supports general measures to allow citizens to carry concealed weapons in public.
In a statement today, Senate President Alan Lasee vowed to kill the measure if the Assembly passes it.
"Let me be perfectly clear: As long as I am the Senate president, this proposal will not see the light of day in the state Senate," Lasee said, noting that he'd been contacted by numerous constituents who confused him with Frank Lasee. The two men are distant cousins.
Alan Lasee, who also supports legalizing concealed carry in other settings, called Frank Lasee's proposal "nothing more than a poorly thought-out, knee-jerk reaction to the tragic events of the last few weeks," and said he will continue to support gun-free school zones.
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Published: October 5, 2006