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Samantha Hayes ReportingIn an exclusive Survey USA poll for KSL-TV, we asked for your thoughts on arming teachers and the level of school safety. After the recent school shootings, Eyewitness News requested the state's annual report that surveys districts about weapons. State data shows middle schools have the most problems, but weapons have been taken inside elementary schools too.
Every time it happened you heard the same thing from principals, teachers, parents -- nobody thinks it can happen at their school. Even though school shootings have happened in the last couple of weeks, Utahns are fairly confident in the safety of their schools.
A Survey USA poll for KSL 5 shows 53 percent somewhat believe local schools are doing everything they can to keep children safe. 14 percent are very confident.
So what would make schools safer? 33 percent believe better security, 24 percent say reduce bullying, 18 percent say make access to guns more difficult and 12 percent suggest better mental health care.
Eyewitness News found weapons in schools are a problem. Most were not guns, but the latest data shows 98 weapons violations in the Ogden School District, 85 in Granite and 51 in Salt Lake and Davis school districts.
Curt Hansen, Granite District Student Services: "A certain percentage of kids are going to bring some weapons to school."
Utahns feel strongly about teachers and handguns. Sixty two percent do not think teachers should be licensed to carry handguns. 33 percent think they should.
We also asked parents if their child's school has a plan in place in the event of an armed intruder. Almost 50 percent were not sure. And although it's a tough thing to talk about, 43 percent of respondents say they have talked to their children about school shootings. 55 percent have not.
