Local CA teacher of the year among 61 against arming educators

Dr. Brian McDaniel is a music teacher at Painted Hills Middle School in Desert Hot Springs. He was named 2018 California Teacher of the Year and is a nominee for National Teacher of the Year, one of only five teachers in the state to receive the honor.

McDaniel was among 61 other California Teachers of the Year to sign “Open Letter to President Trump” voicing their opposition to the arming of educators.

“I hope there comes a day that I am not anticipating a lockdown every time a schoolwide announcement is made. A day that I am not considering if it is safer to keep my kids inside or evacuate whenever the fire alarm is activated. That I am not contemplating if my classroom walls can stop a bullet,” McDaniel said in a PSA. “The time to act is now.”

McDaniel sat down with CBS Local 2’s Brooke Beare to discuss the open letter. He discussed how he ended up in the PSA, why he opposes arming teachers, and much more.

“‘Guns save schools’ are kind of like a misnomer. Teachers are not supposed to have them. However, military, police, guards can be armed. I think that’s the way we should go about it if guns have to be in schools.”

Watch the full interview above.