One of the more troubling aspects of any tragedy must be the reaction of some leaders looking desperately for ways to prevent future tragic acts.

Twenty-six people – including 20 precious children – are dead at the hands of a madman who opened fire inside an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. A small fraction of the response has been politically motivated. We’ve seen some blame tossed around. Also some finger-pointing.

But the most idiotic response – in my view – has been the call by some elected “leaders” to arm school teachers and other educators with firearms. Rep. Louis Gohmert, R-Texas, said he “wished to God” the Sandy Hook school principal – who died in the rampage – had been armed with an M-4 assault rifle so that she could have taken the shooter out before he did more damage.

The idea, according to Gohmert, is to turn our schools into armed camps. Arm the teachers, principals, assistant principals, maybe even the secretaries with firearms. Why not let the custodians pack heat too? Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson – the author of Texas’ concealed handgun carry law – said much the same thing. Indeed, Patterson is proud of his “Gun Guy” nickname. I was an early critic of the concealed carry law, but I’ve softened my view of it, given the absence of any random shootouts on street corners I envisioned when then-state Sen. Patterson proposed it in the mid-1990s.

But what kind of environment do these so-called “leaders” seek to create on our public school campuses by allowing teachers to carry weapons? They apparently intend to put everyone – students, teachers, parents – on edge wondering who’s packing a firearm.

It is absolutely the wrong environment.

We need calm, rational discussion of viable choices to a complex set of issues. Arming our teachers with assault weapons – which Rep. Gohmert and other blowhards are pitching – is a prescription for even more bloodshed, not less.