Letter to the Editor - The Tragedy of School Shootings

[red-beard]

Let's see if it get published! Sent to the Wall Street Journal.

The Tragedy of School Shootings

As with the terrorists of 9/11, the shooters in the schools used our own rules and regulations against us. More gun control will not prevent tragedies like these. It appears some would like to create a “Sterile” environment for our schools, not unlike those in our airports. Do we really want a TSA like checkpoint environment for our school children? Must we force every child to remove their shoes and belt and pass through metal detectors while x-raying their bags, every time they enter a school?

Maybe we need to turn this situation on its head. After 9/11, pilots were given the choice of arming themselves. They were given the choice, so as to better protect the passengers under their care. Why not give teachers this same choice? Training, and passing the same requirements as anyone licensed to carry a concealed firearm, would be mandatory.

Gun Free School zones prevent only law abiding citizens from possessing firearms and prevent “The Good Guys” from protecting themselves and other innocents. The crazies who perform these acts know this and that no one can stop them. If 2% of the teachers elected to carry concealed weapons, this might be a deterrent. Israel and Thailand already allow this. A brave legislator in Wisconsin, Rep. Frank Lasee, R-Bellevue, has suggested we try this.

Will this, or any other legislation, 100% prevent tragedies such as these? Of course not! But a few properly trained individuals would significantly deter, and will definitely minimize the magnitude of, these horrific events.

James Tomlinson
A licensed citizen
Houston, TX

[widgeon13]

There are a couple of problems that I see.

Most of the teachers that I know are liberals to begin with and the way they dress they have no place to conceal a weapon, I haven't seen a teacher in a coat (sport jacket) or suit jacket in years. They dress as bad as the kids. Find a female teacher who will carry concealed?

Let's make the kid's behavior the responsibility of the parents, that sounds like a splendid idea. Maybe if parents took the time to go through a kids backpack on occasion they would get some idea of how the little ****s are behaving or if they are planning on going postal in the school. Maybe if the parents looked in the kids room once in a while and if they found rounds of ammo they might figure out something bad might be in the works.

As far as I am concerned if you give teachers guns or the opportunity to carry a concealed weapon they will be shooting each other and if a kid is bad enough they may even use the gun on a kid once in a while, did you ever think of that.

Now before the teachers in the crowd smack me down let me say that my wife teaches and has for many years and I know many good teachers but there are always going to be some wacko's in any group, how are you going to sort out the nut cases. They won't submit to psychological analysis for fear the results would cause them to get fired.

When I went to school my parents knew WTF was going on in school, on the bus or playing in the neighborhood. I got my a$$ kicked a few times when I was in school, most of the time it was by my mother. On a few occasions it was by a nun or priest. When that happened, I usually got a double dose when I got home. Word traveled faster than I could in those days and my mother would be waiting for me when I walked through the door.

I have no regrets, I grew up to respect authority, my parents and knew what civil behavior was, unfortunately that is not the case today with a small percentage of young people.

Teaching is a hard, thankless job undertaken by many dedicated young people. The job is hard enough w/o making them police officers as well. Your letter is well intended and I applaud you for going public with your opinion. I just think the solution is in the hands of the parents and that is where it should remain.

By the way, I hope your letter gets published in the WSJ, I'll be watching for it.

[speeder]

I'm an NRA 2nd amendment type and I think that the idea of arming teachers to protect children from crazy gunmen entering schools is quite possibly the stupidest idea I've ever heard in my life. For once I'm grateful for the gun-hating liberals who would deep-six your idea before it leaves the starting gate. Loaded guns and rooms full of small children go together like bacon at a seder.

Yes, there is a hypothetical scenario where a gun-proficient teacher could have a gun hidden in a secure, locked drawer w/ the keys on his belt loop and shoot dead the maniac, but there is about a 1000 times better chance of a f*&k-up where a kid finds the key/gun, or some idiot simply shoots his foot off.

Surely you were not thinking the teacher carrying it on his/her belt all day? That would really fly w/ parents. Does the teacher draw down on any unfamiliar adult who enters the school until they are frisked? Do you think that the Amish guy walked in w/ guns blazing? Or just normal and calm?

Sorry, dumb idea. There will always be nut cases who will murder people. Can't turn into paranoid, gun-toting cowards over it. JMHO of course.

[Moneyguy1]

Looks like being a teacher is becoming one of the occupations one can enter. Should increase the respect for those who choose this profession: unarmed, vulnerable. One has to ask Why.

A bit of an overload on kids? Too much MTV? Video games that make killing look like fun and easy? In other words, a bit too much "Political Correctness" and not enough control from parents and the industries supplying the stimuli?

[red-beard]

Denis, the same arguments were made when concealed carry was implemented in each of the 38 shall issue states. "There will be blood in the streets, every car accident will turn into a gun fight, etc".

I am NOT suggesting we arm every teacher or require them to carry. I am suggesting that we allow trained teacher to carry IF they want to and only IF they are properly and fully trained. If you do not have a concealed license, you don't understand the training. I went through 12 hours of training and then had to pass a profieiciency test. And the main thing that is taught to you in the classes: Every bullet you fire will probably cost you $100K in legal bills. Make sure they are worth it. Make sure they are appropriate.

Only 2% of the people in Texas who are eligible to get a concealed handgun license actually decide to get one. The crime rate for those who do get them is on the order of 5% of the general population. As a rule, they are 20 times less likely to commit any crime. I expect that the teachers who would actually get a license would mirror the general population.

I'm in Pennsylvania, about 20 miles from where the Amish shooting occurred. I spoke with the fiancé of my best friend about this subject. She is working towards being a school teacher, and she thought it was a good idea. And she is NOT a conservative...

Oh and your example of a teacher leaving a gun around where a student could get it? Firing offense. Concealed means concealed. You would have to keep it on your person and no one should be able to tell you are wearing it.

[on-ramp]

The root of the problem is media violence, violent TV, lack of morals taught in the home and in our culture. with both parents having to work to make ends meet, the kids suffer in their upbringing. gun accessibility contributes to the problem, but not the cause.

it's a profit-above all else society - children are born innocent. violent behavior is influenced by environment. except of course in those cases where there is a bug in the brain.

arming teachers is a very bad idea all around. they are already pi$$ed about how much little money they make. now you want to give them the added responsibility of guns?

[speeder]

I'm sorry for flaming you, too much cafeine today. I just think that there is too much possibility of an accident, even if they were all LEOs teaching children w/ their guns on them. I also have carried and can't imagine any teacher wanting to have a strap on them at all times. For me, if a situation has that much chance of danger, I simply avoid the situation completely. And schools are overwhelmingly safe places, these incidents are truly freak occurrences.

I would consider getting a CC permit if I lived somewhere that allowed them, but only so I could keep my pal in the car.