Hunter
03/11/24
The most recent Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows support for state Republicans trying to pass legislation that would give teachers the right to carry firearms on school grounds.
The poll found 60 percent of those surveyed supporting the idea, with 38 percent opposed.
The legislation would also provide immunity from liability for teachers and districts. It would also require the state’s largest districts to hire either private security or resource officers. The provision would impact 11 districts in Iowa, including Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo, and Dubuque. The House version of the bill would provide $3 million dollars to schools to purchase infrastructure for the new requirements, including guns for teachers.
Along political lines, 74% of Democrats surveyed opposed the plan, while 80% of Republicans and 61% of Independents support the proposal.
The poll comes two months after the deadly school shooting in Perry, which killed a sixth-grader and the Perry High School’s principal and wounded seven others before the student shooter killed himself.
Full poll results are available at desmoinesregister.com