RELIABLE.
NONPARTISAN.
EMPOWERING.

  • HOME
  • 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - MENU
    • 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - HOME
    • GET STARTED
      • Quiz - Find Your Candidate Match! Compare Candidate Positions Side-by-Side
    • ISSUES AND CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
      • Crime & Justice Economy & Taxes Education Elections Energy Foreign Policy Guns / Second Amendment Health Care, Abortion, & End of Life Issues Immigration Labor & Wages Marijuana & Alcohol Military & War on Terror Race Science & Environment Sex & Gender
    • RECOMMENDED
      • Did You Know? The Electoral College: Top 3 Pros and Cons Pros and Cons of Donald Trump's Cabinet Picks Differences in Conservative and Liberal Brains Candidate Finances Candidate Position Changes US Political Parties Presidential Election History from 1789 to 2012 How to Become the US President: A Step-by-Step Guide Order of Presidential Succession Top 10 Most Surprising Things in the 2016 Presidential Candidates' Online Stores How to Register to Vote
    • DIG DEEPER
      • 2016 Presidential Election Results ProCon.org Criteria for Inclusion as a Presidential Candidate Glossary Jeb Bush - Positions Ben Carson - Positions Chris Christie - Positions Hillary Clinton - Positions Ted Cruz - Positions Carly Fiorina - Positions Lindsey Graham - Positions Mike Huckabee - Positions John Kasich - Positions Martin O'Malley - Positions Rand Paul - Positions Marco Rubio - Positions Bernie Sanders - Positions Donald Trump - Positions 2012 Presidential Election Quiz
  • ISSUES WE COVER
    • MOST POPULAR
      • 2020 Presidential Election
      • Medical Marijuana
      • Gun Control
      • Homework
      • Animal Testing
      • Death Penalty
      • School Uniforms
      • Drinking Age - Lower It?
      • Abortion
      • Zoos
      • Illegal Immigration
    • HEALTH & MEDICINE
      • Medical Marijuana
      • Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide
      • Vaping E-Cigarettes
      • Vaccines for Kids
      • Milk - Is It Healthy?
      • OTC Birth Control
      • Abortion
      • Vegetarianism
      • Obesity a Disease?
      • Obamacare
      • Right to Health Care
      • Prescription Drug Ads
      • Marijuana for Pets
    • EDUCATION
      • School Uniforms
      • Standardized Tests
      • Tablets vs. Textbooks
      • College Education Worth It?
      • Teacher Tenure
      • Student Loan Debt
      • School Vouchers
      • Corporal Punishment
      • Banned Books
      • Homework
      • Free College
      • D.A.R.E (archived 6/3/13)
    • POLITICS
      • Death Penalty
      • Drinking Age - Lower It?
      • Illegal Immigration
      • Gun Control
      • Recreational Marijuana
      • Mandatory National Service
      • ACLU - Good for America?
      • Concealed Handguns
      • Sanctuary Cities
      • Under God in the Pledge
      • DACA & Dreamers
      • Dacota Pipeline
      • WTC Muslim Center (archived 6/3/13)
    • SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
      • Animal Testing
      • Cell Phones Radiation
      • Alternative Energy vs. Fossil Fuels
      • Climate Change
      • Net Nautrality
      • Police Body Cameras
      • Bottled Water Ban
      • Zoos
      • GMOs
    • ELECTIONS & PRESIDENTS
      • 2020 Presidential Election
      • Felon Voting
      • Election Day National Holiday
      • Electoral College
      • Lowering the Voting Age to 16
      • Voting Machines
      • Ronald Reagan
      • Bill Clinton
      • 2008 Presidential Election (archived 1/19/09)
      • 2012 Presidential Election (archived 1/22/13)
      • 2016 Presidential Election (archived 1/21/17)
    • WORLD / INTERNATIONAL
      • Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
      • Cuba Embargo
      • Drone Strikes Overseas
      • Us Drone Shot Down by Iran
      • US-Iraq War (archived 12/31/11)
    • SEX & GENDER
      • Gay Marriage
      • Prostitution - Legalize It?
      • Born Gay? Origins of Sexual Orientation
    • ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS
      • Social Media
      • Video Games and Violence
      • Drug Use in Sports
      • Binge-Watching
      • Golf - Is It a Sport?
      • Olympics
      • National Anthem Protest
      • Fighting in Hockey
      • Pokémon
      • College Football Playoffs (archived 9/18/12)
    • ECONOMY & TAXES
      • Minimum Wage
      • Gold Standard
      • Corporate Tax Rate & Jobs
      • Churches and Taxes
      • Uber & Lyft
      • Social Security Privatization
      • Daylight Savings Time
      • Universal Basic Income
      • Penny - Keep It?
      • Big Three Auto (archived 5/15/09)
      • Insider Trading by Congress (archived 4/18/12)
    • YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
      • Watch Our Videos
      • Teachers' Corner
      • Readers' Comments
      • Who Uses ProCon.org?
      • Debate Topics
      • Testimonials
      • Donors & Sponsors
    • GET INVOLVED
      • ProCon.org Events
      • Suggest a Topic
      • Cite This Page
      • Share on Social Media
      • Volunteers / Interns
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT US
    • HOW WE WORK
    • WATCH OUR VIDEOS
    • FAQS
    • EVENTS
    • TESTIMONIALS
    • DONORS & SPONSORS
  • TEACHERS' CORNER
  • HOME
  • |
  • FAQS
  • |
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • |
  • DONORS & SPONSORS

  • MORE
    ISSUES
 
  • ABOUT
    US
 
  • WATCH
    OUR VIDEOS
 
  • TEACHERS'
    CORNER

2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Last updated on: 6/10/2016 9:45:55 AM PST

Should Schools Be Gun-Free Zones?



Pro
Clinton
Clinton

Con
Johnson
Johnson

Not Clear or Not Found
Stein
Stein

Trump
Trump






Pro (Yes)

Pro
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton
Democrat

"[Donald Trump] said also, that on his first day in office, he'd mandate that every school in America allow guns in classrooms. Every school, he said. That idea isn't just way out there, it's dangerous. Thirty-three thousand people die from guns every year. Nearly three thousand children and teenagers among them. Parents, teachers, and schools should have the right to keep guns out of classrooms. Just like Donald Trump does at many of his hotels, by the way."

Source: Monica Alba, "Hillary Clinton Slams Trump on Guns, Says 'I Will Not Pander to the Gun Lobby,'" nbcnews.com, May 22, 2016
Con (No)

Con
Gary Johnson
Gary Johnson
Libertarian

"[Natalie Leppard:] Do you believe schools should be gun-free zones?

[Gary Johnson:]I don't. And, for those that are opposed to guns, I realize how incendiary what I'm saying right now sounds, but all of these atrocities, including what happened in Orlando, all of these shootings were in gun-free zones. The theater in Colorado, the night club in Orlando, the college campus shootings, Fort Hood of all places being gun-free, that's where they are all happening."

Source: Phone Interview with ProCon.org, June 14, 2016


Not Clearly Pro or Con
Jill Stein
Jill Stein
Green

"It is more dangerous to the occupants of a home to have a gun than not. It's more likely that you'll be injured by your own gun than that you'll be defended against some intruder with that gun. It's an enormous public health problem in our cities-- there are tragedies every day where young people are being shot, as victims of gun crimes. It's tragic. We're not arguing that nobody should have a gun--but public safety should factor into constraints."

Source: Jill Stein, "OnTheIssues Interview with Jill Stein," ontheissues.org, Dec. 21, 2011





Now Not Clearly Pro or Con
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Republican

"She [Hillary Clinton] talked about guns in classrooms. I don't want to have guns in classrooms although, in some cases, teachers should have guns in classrooms, frankly. Because, teachers are, you know, things that are going on in our schools are unbelievable. You look at some of our schools, unbelievable what's going on. But I'm not advocating guns in classrooms. But remember in some cases, and a lot of people have made this case, teachers should be able to have guns, trained teachers should be able to have guns in classrooms."

Source: David Edwards, "Donald Trump: 'I'm Not Advocating Guns in Classrooms' but 'Teachers Should Have Guns in Classrooms,'" rawstory.com, May 22, 2016

[Editor's Note:  While "I don't want to have guns in classrooms" suggests that Mr. Trump supports gun-free zones at schools and would thus be "PRO" to our question, he also said "teachers should have guns in classrooms," which may suggest that he opposes gun-free zones at schools and may be "CON" to our question. The Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) of 1990 prohibits unauthorized individuals from knowingly possessing firearms on school grounds. The GFSZA allows each state to authorize additional groups of people, including teachers, which some states have done. Given the variability by state for teachers being authorized to possess guns in gun-free zones and the reasonable interpretation of Mr. Trump's statement as either "PRO" or "CON," we have classified his position as "Now Not Clearly Pro or Con."

Trump previously expressed a CON opinion on this question. Read Trump's former position on gun-free zones.]






FORMER CANDIDATES
(Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria appear below in black and white and in alphabetical order.)



Pro
Con
Not Clear or Not Found
Bush
Bush
Carson
Carson
Christie
Christie
Cruz
Cruz
Fiorina
Fiorina
Graham
Graham
Huckabee
Huckabee
Kasich
Kasich
O'Malley
O'Malley
Paul
Paul
Rubio
Rubio
Sanders
Sanders





Pro (Yes)

Con (No)



None Found
Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
Republican

Withdrew on Feb. 20, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.





None Found
Ben Carson
Ben Carson
Republican

Withdrew on Mar. 4, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate’s position on this question.





None Found
Chris Christie
Chris Christie
Republican

Withdrew on Feb. 10, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.





None Found
Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz
Republican

Withdrew on May 3, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.





None Found
Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina
Republican

Withdrew on Feb. 10, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.





None Found
Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Graham
Republican

Withdrew on Dec. 21, 2015; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate’s position on this question.





None Found
Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Republican

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate’s position on this question.





None Found
John Kasich
John Kasich
Republican

Withdrew on May 4, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate’s position on this question.





None Found
Martin O'Malley
Martin O'Malley
Democrat

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.





None Found
Rand Paul
Rand Paul
Republican

Withdrew on Feb. 3, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.





None Found
Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio
Republican

Withdrew on Mar. 15, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.





Not Clearly Pro or Con
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders
Democrat

"Nobody believes that gun control by itself is going to end the horrors we have seen in Newtown, Conn., Aurora, Colo., Blacksburg, Va., Tucson, Ariz. and other American communities. There is a growing consensus, however, in Vermont and across America that we have got to do as much as we can to end the cold-blooded, mass murders of innocent people. I believe very strongly that we also have got to address the mental health crisis in our country and make certain that help is available for people who may be a danger to themselves and others."

Source: Bernie Sanders, "Sanders Votes for Background Checks, Assault Weapons Ban," sanders.senate.gov, Apr. 17, 2013








2016 Presidential Election Homepage

Quiz - Find Your Candidate Match!
Compare Candidate Positions Side-by-Side
RECOMMENDED to you...
1
Did You Know?
2
The Electoral College: Top 3 Pros and Cons
3
Pros and Cons of Donald Trump's Cabinet Picks
4
Differences in Conservative and Liberal Brains
5
Candidate Finances
6
Candidate Position Changes
7
US Political Parties
8
Presidential Election History from 1789 to 2012
9
How to Become the US President: A Step-by-Step Guide
10
Order of Presidential Succession
11
Top 10 Most Surprising Things in the 2016 Presidential Candidates' Online Stores
12
How to Register to Vote
+ DIG DEEPER...
2016 Presidential Election Results
ProCon.org Criteria for Inclusion as a Presidential Candidate
Glossary
Jeb Bush - Positions
Ben Carson - Positions
Chris Christie - Positions
Hillary Clinton - Positions
Ted Cruz - Positions
Carly Fiorina - Positions
Lindsey Graham - Positions
Mike Huckabee - Positions
John Kasich - Positions
Martin O'Malley - Positions
Rand Paul - Positions
Marco Rubio - Positions
Bernie Sanders - Positions
Donald Trump - Positions
2012 Presidential Election Quiz
CITE THIS PAGE
Who is the author?
SHARE
HOME
ABOUT
CITE THIS PAGE
REPRINTING POLICY
PRIVACY POLICY
DISCLAIMER
READER FAVORITES

State Laws
Debate Topics
Critical Thinking Quotes
Teaching Controversial Issues
History Of...
TRANSLATE
into 100+ Languages and Dialects
LET'S GET SOCIAL!
Tweets by @procon_org
ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.


Contact Us

233 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200
Santa Monica, CA 90401




Natalie Leppard
Managing Editor
procon@eb.com


© 2025 ProCon.org
All rights reserved
Contact Us

ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200
Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA


Natalie Leppard
Managing Editor
procon@eb.com


© 2025 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
All rights reserved