Phatscotty wrote:stahrgazer wrote:I like how the airlines do it. Pilots volunteer for an extensive program that, when completed, allows them to carry in the cockpit. Schools could, similarly, have teachers, administrators, etc., volunteer to complete a similar extensive training program to allow them to carry in the classroom.
"Who" is not publicly disclosed, so the potential is, any/all. Thus, schools are no longer totally defenseless, and maniac cowards might choose other targets.
Most assuredly, maniacs will always choose targets, and most assuredly, they'll find a way be it knives, guns, bombs, poison (remember Tylenol and other over-the-counter pill poisonings years back?) But at least kids in school would no longer be totally defenseless sitting ducks because the prof might be packing.
Sounds great! I fully back it!
After thinking about it, I'm not sure it'd work too well in a classroom. Kids these days are more and more violent in general. I wouldn't like to have a program like this in place to protect the kids who gang up on a "packing" professor, take his weapon, and use it against other kids in the classrooms or halls, but I'm sure it would happen if a program like this were instituted.
And what if we said "some principles" or "administrators" instead of some teachers? Well, the chance of kids getting to those arms is less, but would that fear-factor be enough to keep the maniacs at bay?
Then there are those who say, "hire more armed security/policemen to patrol the schools." Sounds great, right? Who wants double school real estate taxes to pay for this? Given the current "fiscal cliff" in the news about whether to raise taxes and reduce spending; raise taxes and not reduce spending; only reduce spending... seems pretty clear to me that no one really would wish to pay for this.
Maybe some parents could volunteer for a program where they get trained and registered and get to sit in their cars (locked) in front of the schools with their nearly-assault-but-not-quite-technically-assault-rifles ready to shoot any perp who'd come try to shoot the kids. Citizen patrol/neighborhood watch type. But wait, I live in Florida, where a citizen on neighborhood watch may or may not have illegally assaulted and killed someone who wasn't causing any trouble, out of fear he would, or racism (both arguments have been brought up about why he did it if it wasn't self-defense.) Trayvon Martin is the victim I'm referring to here, if you hadn't guessed.
There's no 100% solution.
But, signs, "gun free zone" really do make places like that targets for maniacal cowards who want to be violent and make the news.