Remember how, after the Newtown shooting, the NRA and many Congressional Republicans said schools and students would be safer if teachers and custodians armed themselves? Well, in light of Kansas passing such a law, it appears as if insurance companies aren't on the same page as the NRA and many Congressional Republicans.
The Des Moines-based EMC Insurance Companies insure between 85 and 90% of all Kansas school districts, but have declared that they'll refuse to renew coverage for any school that follows through with the new state law.
Mick Lovell, EMC's vice president for business development, said the following with regard to the decision:
"We've been writing school business for almost 40 years, and one of the underwriting guidelines we follow for schools is that any on-site armed security should be provided by uniformed, qualified law enforcement officers. Our guidelines have not recently changed."
Insurers Continental Western Group and Wright Specialty Insurance have both followed EMC's lead and refused to provide coverage for schools that permit teachers and custodians to carry firearms. To this point, though, no Kansas school districts have adopted the pro-teachers-with-guns policy, whose chief advocate is none other than state senator Forrest Knox, who had this to say with regard to the insurers statements:
"I'm not an insurance expert, but it's hard for me to believe that if schools and other public buildings allow law-abiding citizens to carry that that increases risk - it's news to me. Law enforcement responds better (to school shootings now), but it still takes a few minutes, and a lot of damage can be done in a few minutes."
A lot of damage can be done with what? A gun? Yet with more guns in schools (which can cause "a lot of damage" "in a few minutes"), that doesn't increase risk?
So, taking what Mr. Knox said with both this statement and others, here is what the state senator has basically said:
"Guns don't kill people; people kill people! The more guns we have in the hands of citizens, the safer we're going to be! This includes teachers and custodians at our schools! Look - guns can do a lot of damage in a few minutes, yet they don't increase risk for insurers. Guns can cause a lot of damage and in a very short period of time, but they don't kill people - so insurers have nothing to worry about. The more guns we have in schools, the more damage that's going to be done, but with less risk and fewer deaths! Fact!"
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/07/08/2262861/insurers-kansas-armed-teachers-risk/
The Des Moines-based EMC Insurance Companies insure between 85 and 90% of all Kansas school districts, but have declared that they'll refuse to renew coverage for any school that follows through with the new state law.
Mick Lovell, EMC's vice president for business development, said the following with regard to the decision:
"We've been writing school business for almost 40 years, and one of the underwriting guidelines we follow for schools is that any on-site armed security should be provided by uniformed, qualified law enforcement officers. Our guidelines have not recently changed."
Insurers Continental Western Group and Wright Specialty Insurance have both followed EMC's lead and refused to provide coverage for schools that permit teachers and custodians to carry firearms. To this point, though, no Kansas school districts have adopted the pro-teachers-with-guns policy, whose chief advocate is none other than state senator Forrest Knox, who had this to say with regard to the insurers statements:
"I'm not an insurance expert, but it's hard for me to believe that if schools and other public buildings allow law-abiding citizens to carry that that increases risk - it's news to me. Law enforcement responds better (to school shootings now), but it still takes a few minutes, and a lot of damage can be done in a few minutes."
A lot of damage can be done with what? A gun? Yet with more guns in schools (which can cause "a lot of damage" "in a few minutes"), that doesn't increase risk?
So, taking what Mr. Knox said with both this statement and others, here is what the state senator has basically said:
"Guns don't kill people; people kill people! The more guns we have in the hands of citizens, the safer we're going to be! This includes teachers and custodians at our schools! Look - guns can do a lot of damage in a few minutes, yet they don't increase risk for insurers. Guns can cause a lot of damage and in a very short period of time, but they don't kill people - so insurers have nothing to worry about. The more guns we have in schools, the more damage that's going to be done, but with less risk and fewer deaths! Fact!"
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/07/08/2262861/insurers-kansas-armed-teachers-risk/
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