National Train a Teacher Day Declared Saturday (VIDEO)

Professional firearms instructors across the country will offer free training classes to school administrators and teachers this weekend as part of the first annual “National Train a Teacher Day.”

NTATD, a collaborative effort between ScotShot instructor Grant Gallagher and Trigger Pressers Union founder Klint Macro, will provide medical, concealed carry and tactical training for school staff at participating locations Saturday.

The grassroots initiative sprang up in response to the ongoing debate about arming teachers after a spate of high-profile mass shootings. Even President Trump promoted the concept as effective tool against future attacks.

Rob Pincus, executive director of the Personal Defense Network, argues “teachers with guns” and “arming teachers” remain two different vastly different ideas. He agrees well-trained school staff could — and should — have the right to carry, everywhere.

“Certainly I’m not advocating for school children to be armed, but the teachers that obviously care about themselves and care incredibly about the students they are there to educate, they should have the opportunity to defend themselves in this worst case scenario,” he said in a PDN video. “And I know a lot of them would seek out the extra training that they need.”

ZØRE, an Israeli gun lock manufacturer, will offer a teacher discount program on its products in support of the initiative, hoping it will encourage safe storage of firearms on school campuses. Chief Executive Officer Bruno Escojido said he believes the gun locks “can play a key role in this environment.”

“The ZORE X gun lock is a robust well constructed device. It is by far the best ‘On The Gun’ locking mechanism that I have seen,” Macro said. “Teachers, school staff or administrators that have the ability to be legally armed in school and can not carry on body, should consider this device as a way to secure their particular tool of defense.”

NTATD provides a list of all participating instructors on its website.