Schools Arming Students

It’s been only a few short weeks since the tragic school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, but schools everywhere seem to be taking action to prepare for another incident like it.

Just a few moments ago, my wife and I received an email from the school our children attend. In said email, it details how the school went into lockdown, they secured the building, and told the students what their focus should be. “Run, Hide, [and/or] Flight”.

Students and staff came up with ideas of some appropriate ways to hide in the classroom. This included barricading doors with carts, chairs, tables, etc. It included avoiding all being crowded into one part of the room. Table and other parts of the classroom can provide a quick hiding spot. Being silent during the lockdown is key but also following directions is extremely helpful and important.

We discussed the importance of getting away from any type of active and dangerous situation. Finding a safe barrier, like a bus, truck or wall to shield us from danger would be a good first option. Leaving together and meeting in a designated spot could also be an appropriate choice.

Fighting is the extreme last resort. The intent of fighting the aggressor is the last priority and will be determined by the situation at the time. The purpose would be to distract the aggressor so that students would be able to escape a room or situation.

So this is what, locally, my own children are expected to do. This is the modern day classroom. Some have taken steps beyond this, though.

A school in Pennsylvania is arming their students with rocks to throw at an aggressor. Some are considering active-shooter drills. That idea, however, is not without it’s consequences as a teacher in Oregon wasn’t made aware that it was a drill and was traumatized. That teacher sued the school.

Oh, and they’re enacting them for preschoolers. But I could’ve told you that, because I have a child in preschool.

Perhaps we wouldn’t need to traumatize our students by putting them through these drills, or arming them, if we actually enforced sensible gun laws. Maybe if we enacted strict background checks and got rid of the gun show loophole. Perhaps if we realized these are our hearts outside of our own bodies being asked to do things they shouldn’t have to face, or understand, at this stage in life. Then, maybe, we might actually do something about this.