During UF’s campus orientation, we were required to watch a mock school shooting scenario. Students ran and hid from the gunman; some didn’t make it out. It was unsettling to experience through a video screen, but the presentation made it feel just distant and impossible enough.
Just days later, I walked into my first lecture hall and froze. The layout was nearly identical to the classroom in the video.
Since that day, I have carried a mild but constant awareness in class. The awareness is not panic and not quite paranoia. Just the quiet realization that if something terrible were to happen, we would be largely defenseless.
Experiencing fears like this are why I believe the Florida bill to arm college professors is a necessary step for public universities. The bill, filed by state Rep. Michelle Salzman (R-Escambia), passed a full floor House vote Feb. 25 but has not yet been approved by the Senate.
Under the program, faculty or staff, not students, may serve as armed school guardians only after completing training, passing psychological evaluations and receiving certification from the local sheriff’s office, as proposed in the bill.
The process is selective and ongoing. Only vetted individuals qualify. This is not casual carry — it is regulated and supervised.
Guns are not inherently bad. They are tools, and their impact depends on the person using them. The real danger lies in individuals who intend to cause harm. Anyone willing to commit violence on a college campus is already willing to ignore the law.
If a bad actor brings a weapon onto campus because they do not care about the law, and every responsible adult nearby is prohibited from defending students, the imbalance is obvious. The bill attempts to correct that imbalance without abandoning oversight.
But this bill is broader than many realize. It reinforces threat management systems and requires institutions to develop clearer emergency response plans. This refreshed, layered approach enforces more responsible and comprehensive safety precautions for universities.
If implemented, it should also require the highest level of training possible.
Extensive scenario-based drills, ongoing requalification and expanded required training hours would only strengthen public trust in the program. Transparency about both successes and any issues within the program would also be essential to maintaining public trust and accountability.
I don’t want symbolic safety through orientation videos. I want practical preparedness. I want responsible adults — thoroughly vetted — who are capable of responding if the unthinkable happens.
This bill does not eliminate risk, but it offers a structured, regulated approach to being prepared if the worst happens. If passed, the bill will bring greater safety and peace of mind in the classroom.
Contact Alannah Peters @apeters@alligator.org. Follow her on X @alannahjp777.
Alannah Peters is a junior majoring in journalism and minoring in public relations. In her spare time, she can be found trying new coffee shops with friends, traveling the U.S. or going on hot girl walks at Lake Alice.
