How many arms should a teacher have? Two? Three? How about left, right and Glock?
Did you see the article in Saturday's Northwest Herald (Page 4A) about the school district in Texas that will allow teachers and staff to carry concealed weapons in the school and in the classroom?
Harrold, Texas, some 634 miles south-southwest of Guss, Iowa, is a one-school district of 110 students located just off U.S. 287 about 35 miles west of Wichita Falls. I must have driven past there back in about 1976 when I drove from Denver to visit my brother in Wichita Falls. Maybe it was in that little town where I could buy only five gallons of gas, because of the energy crisis.
The school is 30 minutes from the sheriff's department. While I think it's a stretch to think that the school in that town is a target just because it's sort of out in the middle of nowhere and on a busy highway, I agree with arming teachers and staff. Frankly, it wouldn't matter if the sheriff's department were next door. If shooting starts in a school, someone needs to have the resources (guns!) to stop the shooter, and who better than a trained person right in the school who is willing to act.
Having your gun in the trunk of your car just isn't good enough, if shooting starts. You need it on your hip or under your coat.
Of course, the mindset in rural Texas is different than that of "city folks", who expect someone else to do the protecting.
What if teachers and staff in Chicago schools were trained and allowed to carry guns? What if Chicago residents were allowed to own (which they will be allowed to do soon; actually, the Supreme Court says that they can now, but King Daley still says they cannot) handguns and then to carry them?
Just imagine a different result on the South Side of Chicago... A drive-by shooting starts and, before the car can get to the end of the block, a dozen bystanders are pumping lead into it. How long would it take for the gangbangers and drive-by shooters to get the message that doing drive-bys is not safe in Chicago? 24 hours? 48 hours? Not more than 72 hours, I'd guess.
Three cheers for the school board, the superintendent and the principal of the Harrold Independent School District AND for the parents there!
© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT
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1 comment:
doesn't home rule suck? i'm all for right to carry. but to play the devils advocate aren't u sending the wrong message to students in class? kids nowadays dont see self defense, they see get even. look at the "vidiot" games and family structure.
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