Poll: More than half of California voters believe arming teachers would make students less safe
While three in 10 California voters say that arming school teachers would make students safer, more than half of 882 respondents say such a move would make students less safe, according to an exclusive Eyewitness News Southern California News Group poll conducted by SurveyUSA.
The poll found that Republicans are six times more likely than Democrats to say that arming teachers would make students "much more safe." Among parents of school-age children, 40 percent are in favor of the idea compared to 27 percent of those who do not have a school-age child.
The prospect of arming instructors is twice as popular in the Inland Empire and the Central Valley than it is in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to the survey.
Opinions differ along gender lines. Twenty percent of suburban women believe armed teachers would make pupils safer; nearly double that figure -- 37 percent -- of suburban men feel the same way.
Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of Californians support having metal detectors at all school entrances.
About half of voters across the state describe the entertainment industry -- including producers of TV series and movies -- as "wholly," "largely" or "somewhat" responsible for mass shootings in the United States. The other half says the industry is "not very" or "not at all" responsible for gun violence.
Here's are the poll's six questions and the respondents' answers, by percentage:
"If every school in California had a metal detector at each entrance, would students be...?"
32% - Much more safe
41% - Safe
5% - Less safe
3% - Much less safe
19% - Not sure
"If every school in California had an armed military veteran or retired police officer on site, would students be...?"
32% - Much more safe
34% - Safe
8% - Less safe
5% - Much less safe
21% - Not sure
If every school in California had an armed, active-duty police officer on site, would students be...?
36% - Much more safe
36% - Safe
7% - Less safe
3% - Much less safe
17% - Not sure
"If every school in California had armed teachers on site, would students be...?"
15% - Much more safe
16% - Safe
27% - Less safe
25% - Much less safe
18% - Not sure
"If AR-15-style rifles were banned in California, would students be...?"
35% - Much more safe
26% - Safe
9% - Less safe
7% - Much less safe
23% - Not sure
"To what extent is the entertainment industry --- including those who produce TV shows and motion pictures --- responsible for the mass shootings in America?"
7% - Wholly responsible
13% - Largely responsible
29% - Somewhat responsible
22% - Not very responsible
22% - Not at all responsible
