I plan to email a copy of this to every teacher at the high where I teach tomorrow. I am hoping to take the discussion to to the next level and find out where people stand. I am tired of nothing being accomplished in regards to school safety and the answer is within our grasp. I am grateful that the President is pushing for this as well.
Some thoughts on School Safety
The Problem:
Schools are statistically very safe, but the most likely cause of death of students in US schools are gunshot wounds. This is a ridiculous statistic. It is unacceptable, and it has been true for far too long. It is time for some meaningful change to take place. Real change that will provide real safety for our schools. It can be done and it can be done in a very economical way, and no matter what it costs it should be accomplished.
History is clear:
The Police cannot protect the citizens of this nation, state or town, and they cannot protect our schools. Our safety and security is our individual responsibility. The school shooting in Parkland, Florida is a recent of example of the inability of the police to protect students. It is not a rare example in school shootings.
Gun Control:
Always a debate that heats up after every mass murder. People on both sides are unlikely to change their minds. The facts are rather clear but perhaps not widely known by most folks. It would be possible to debate guns, gun control, and the Second Amendment but it is a distraction from the real issue and the debate is largely academic. We have millions of guns in the United States and that Genie is not going to be put back in the bottle. If the Nazi’s could not sweep up all of the guns from the hands of the resistance in Poland and France during World War II. Is it even possible to do it here? Do you want to live under a regime with the power and the willingness to do that? We have to face facts that there are guns in the hands of people that should not have them.
Tactical Pressure:
What does stop mass murder? What does stop active shooters cold in their tracks? Tactical pressure is the solution. Good guys or gals putting bullets on the mass murderer. When that happens the innocent people stop dying, and they stop dying right then. If the tactical pressure does not kill the mass murderer they either surrender or take their own life, but either way the innocent people stop dying. As Parkland, Florida demonstrates if that tactical pressure is delayed more innocent people die. If the mass murder happens the tactical pressure needs to be initiated at the point of attack, and promptly.
Arm the ready, willing, able teachers:
The fastest and surest way of applying tactical pressure is to arm teachers. Teachers are an intelligent, responsible group of people with a natural inclination to protect their students. Give them the permission, and the power, and the tools to do what they do naturally. Not everyone is willing or perhaps able to be armed, and no teacher should be forced to carry a gun. One percent of teachers being armed would be an enormous deterrent for a potential active shooter. Teachers, administrators and other staff could be armed and the school would be much safer. Mass murderers are not looking for a fight. They are looking for a high body count in a Gun Free Zone. If teachers are not armed they cannot effectively fight back. Every school shooting story includes dead hero teachers and students. Let’s keep them alive and let them speak with their own voice.
Training:
Any willing teacher can be trained on how to safely and effectively carry a gun at school and to do so in a concealed manner. Such volunteers could be required to provide their own suitable gun, the school could provide twenty four hours of initial training. Volunteers should have to shoot a qualifying score at the beginning of the semester. Continuing training and education should be required every semester. These volunteers should be members of the school safety team and should meet regularly on the hour delay days. A suitable stipend should be granted for those who meet these requirements and help provide safety to the school that it does not currently have. It could be done far cheaper than a SRO in each building and would enhance our SRO presence. Stickers placed on every entrance to the building warning that some staff members on campus are armed would be a great deterrent.
Some thoughts on School Safety
The Problem:
Schools are statistically very safe, but the most likely cause of death of students in US schools are gunshot wounds. This is a ridiculous statistic. It is unacceptable, and it has been true for far too long. It is time for some meaningful change to take place. Real change that will provide real safety for our schools. It can be done and it can be done in a very economical way, and no matter what it costs it should be accomplished.
History is clear:
The Police cannot protect the citizens of this nation, state or town, and they cannot protect our schools. Our safety and security is our individual responsibility. The school shooting in Parkland, Florida is a recent of example of the inability of the police to protect students. It is not a rare example in school shootings.
Gun Control:
Always a debate that heats up after every mass murder. People on both sides are unlikely to change their minds. The facts are rather clear but perhaps not widely known by most folks. It would be possible to debate guns, gun control, and the Second Amendment but it is a distraction from the real issue and the debate is largely academic. We have millions of guns in the United States and that Genie is not going to be put back in the bottle. If the Nazi’s could not sweep up all of the guns from the hands of the resistance in Poland and France during World War II. Is it even possible to do it here? Do you want to live under a regime with the power and the willingness to do that? We have to face facts that there are guns in the hands of people that should not have them.
Tactical Pressure:
What does stop mass murder? What does stop active shooters cold in their tracks? Tactical pressure is the solution. Good guys or gals putting bullets on the mass murderer. When that happens the innocent people stop dying, and they stop dying right then. If the tactical pressure does not kill the mass murderer they either surrender or take their own life, but either way the innocent people stop dying. As Parkland, Florida demonstrates if that tactical pressure is delayed more innocent people die. If the mass murder happens the tactical pressure needs to be initiated at the point of attack, and promptly.
Arm the ready, willing, able teachers:
The fastest and surest way of applying tactical pressure is to arm teachers. Teachers are an intelligent, responsible group of people with a natural inclination to protect their students. Give them the permission, and the power, and the tools to do what they do naturally. Not everyone is willing or perhaps able to be armed, and no teacher should be forced to carry a gun. One percent of teachers being armed would be an enormous deterrent for a potential active shooter. Teachers, administrators and other staff could be armed and the school would be much safer. Mass murderers are not looking for a fight. They are looking for a high body count in a Gun Free Zone. If teachers are not armed they cannot effectively fight back. Every school shooting story includes dead hero teachers and students. Let’s keep them alive and let them speak with their own voice.
Training:
Any willing teacher can be trained on how to safely and effectively carry a gun at school and to do so in a concealed manner. Such volunteers could be required to provide their own suitable gun, the school could provide twenty four hours of initial training. Volunteers should have to shoot a qualifying score at the beginning of the semester. Continuing training and education should be required every semester. These volunteers should be members of the school safety team and should meet regularly on the hour delay days. A suitable stipend should be granted for those who meet these requirements and help provide safety to the school that it does not currently have. It could be done far cheaper than a SRO in each building and would enhance our SRO presence. Stickers placed on every entrance to the building warning that some staff members on campus are armed would be a great deterrent.