How do we stop school shootings?
Obviously, there is no sure-fire solution to any problem. But, problems can be greatly minimized through certain procedures.
It isn't feasible to expect schools to create fortresses with patrolling armed guards. For one thing, they can't afford it.
There is a deterrent, however, they can afford.
They can arm select personnel.
We're not talking about putting firearms in every classroom. We're talking about staff members who volunteer to act as security and go through responsible training before they assume the role of protectors.
The Poplar Bluff School District has three officers specifically assigned to them by the Poplar Bluff Police Department. But they are mostly relegated to the junior, senior and middle schools and cannot be expected to provide constant coverage to all the school's buildings that are spread throughout a wide geographic area of the city.
Shootings as a general rule don't last long. The Florida school shooting, by best guess, lasted all of six minutes. But in that brief time, 17 people lost their lives and many more were wounded.
Six minutes.
Unless you just happen to have someone on site at that time, the carnage will be over before help can arrive. The Florida shooter, for instance, had time to conduct a massacre, leave campus and stop by both a Subway for a soda and then McDonald's before being arrested on the street.
But with armed personnel on site that wouldn't have happened. With armed personnel, a threat can be confronted immediately and more than likely by a force numbering more than one.
There is no better deterrent than the knowledge of the potential killer that he/she will be facing unknown odds, all of whom are trained and will be wielding a lethal force against him from numerous unknown directions.
Look at Israel, for example. It's a country where terror attacks occur frequently. But you never hear of an Israeli school being hit. Why? They have deterrents. Not only do they have metal detectors, but their staffs are armed and ready.
This isn't Israel, of course, but we don't want it to be Florida, Kentucky, Colorado or any other place shootings have happened, either.
Could Florida have been blunted if that coach who initially responded had been armed? We'll never know because he wasn't armed. And now ... he's dead.
Though it's not widely announced, many churches have parishioners covertly armed and prepared to deal with an emergency should it happen. If places of worship see the common sense necessity, then why then can't our schools?
Is it the fault of liberal administrators and school boards? In Missouri, arming the teachers can be accomplished by a simple vote of the school board.
Let's not wait until it happens here or put our heads in the sand and say, "oh, it'll never happen here." We're sure Florida didn't think so, either.
It's time for the Poplar Bluff school system to be proactive. By the time we're reactive it's too late.
Let's get our personnel trained and armed. If we don't and there's an event that could have been prevented with armed staff, well ... the blood's on your hands.
Daily American
Republic