Parkland community, now at center of gun debate, learning to live in new reality

PARKLAND, Fla. — Classes are set to resume Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. CBS News’ Adriana Diaz spoke to a teacher there about the president’s idea to allow educators to carry guns — and met with a wounded student who says she’s not going back.

Eighteen-year-old Samantha Fuentes was learning about hate crimes in a Holocaust history class — and then the shooting started. 

“I looked up and I saw him standing at the window. And … ” Samantha said. 

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“You saw his eyes?” Diaz asked. 

“He lacked any expression at all, which is probably the most gruesome factor,” Samantha said. “I looked over to my right and that’s when I realized both Helena and Nick were dead.”

“If there were teachers in classrooms who had weapons, do you think they could have saved people’s lives?” Diaz asked. 

“No,” Samantha said. “Because I don’t think teachers should have weapons. To arm them, that’s not a part of their job description.”

It’s an idea President Trump has proposed repeatedly this week.

“A teacher would have shot the hell out of him before he knew what happened,” President Trump said at CPAC on Friday. 

That message was heard by Stoneman Douglas history teacher, Greg Pittman, who said he owns a gun. We met him outside the school on Friday, when teachers were allowed to return. 

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“I do not want to be a teacher armed with a gun,” he said. “Very bad idea. What if I shoot a student? And I make a mistake and you shouldn’t be shot —  I don’t want to make a life or death decision, I want to help you so you do your best so you are the best.”

Even though clasess are set to resume on Wednesday, Samantha will not be there. She’s finishing the rest of the year online  and focusing on the fight for gun control.

“And if that takes screaming and that takes yelling, I will do as much as I can,” Samantha said. “I will lose my vocal cords if it takes that.”

Students and teachers learning to deal with a new reality.