My son is a Freshman at the local high school. These last school shootings in Florida have made me finally realize we can no longer afford “business as usual” if we want to protect further murdering of innocent people in public schools.
So, I called my local school district administrator and offered to be a part of the solution. How can I help make our schools safer today? Temporarily, I am pushing for a police officer to be stationed at the entrance to the school in the mornings and afternoons, when campus access is freely open to the public. An armed officer stationed at the school for just 30 minutes in the morning when students arrive, and 30 minutes in the afternoon when they leave, could help deter a shooter since they’d encounter resistance from an armed officer. A temporary, one-hour-per-day staff cost of an armed officer is worth the potential lives saved.
I called my local school district administrator and offered to be a part of the solution. Share on XIn the long term, the district administrator is going to place me on a facilities committee to see how we can make the high school safer. I would suggest that eventually we hire a permanent armed security guard and install metal detectors. I realize these things are expensive, but what is the cost of a child’s life? I would not mind paying more taxes to hire an armed guard to help protect our children. Bottom line—if we want the right to own guns, there is a cost to that, and it should not be at the cost of innocent lives!
Here are four more solutions we can consider to help reduce random shootings:
- Must be 21 years or older to purchase a firearm
a) We don’t let people under the age of 21 buy a beer, but they can buy an assault rifle?
b) We have graduated driver’s licenses for young people, right? We recognize cars don’t kill people, but we know in the hands of youth, the risks are higher that a terrible accident involving the loss of life could occur. Why then do we allow gun sales to youth? - Background checks
a) Better screenings for mental health
b) Background checks must happen at ALL places that sell guns (besides a gun store)
c) Checks should include those expelled from schools for disciplinary reasons, etc. - Parents with Guns
a) If a gun gets in the hands of their children and that child kills with it, strict penalties should incur on the parents who failed to keep their guns locked up - Tougher Laws on illegal gun sales
a) We should make the punishment more severe for those caught in the illegal selling and manufacturing of guns
These are just four ways to potentially reduce shootings without restricting the right to bear arms. (Personally, I think the sale of assault rifles should be limited, but I am not holding my breath on that changing anytime soon.)
Parents—you need to be a part of the solution in your school district. If more parents (and students) got involved in developing local solutions, perhaps the number of random school schoolings would decline. I know that we can’t prevent all attacks, but the disturbing trend of an increase in attacks must be reversed.
Don’t wait for the legislators to do something for you. While we’ve been waiting for them to act, more kids have been murdered. I don’t want to see my son be one of those statistics. (I am sure you don’t want your child killed just for going to school, either!) We need to do something right now… waiting is not an option any more. Contact your local school officials – for the sake of your children – be part of a local solution.
I agree. The only question I have about the security officer at the entrance? Is that the only entry point for the entire school?
The only other item I would put on your list is to encourage our kids to rally together to continue to bring this issue forward. Just as in the 60’s and 70’s it was the youth that protested the war in Vietnam that brought about bringing our servicemen home, so today our kids need to be vocal about this pressing issue. After all, it’s the children who are being put into this terrifying situation.
Hi Alice! Thanks for your comment. I think there should be only one point of entry to our local high school, but there are two. Perhaps that is something we can change or revisit. Your other suggestion about the youth being the voice of this change is vital, I think. After all, they seem to be the targets and their voices should be heard!
I saw a report on CNN wherein the young survivors of the Florida shooting were expressing their dismay concerning the inaction of those in authority about the latest rash of shooting incidents. We don’t have to wait for the national government to take action. If we act locally, we can generate solutions quickly that can make our children safer. Together we can make a difference!!
Absolutely – we cannot afford to wait on the Feds to make changes. We need to be the change!
Hi Lisa –
I believe that access to guns is so much a part of the American cultural and social DNA that it is difficult but not impossible to change. As an outside observer this may be one of the root causes of the problem.
I am so grateful that our Prime Minister stood up after our first big massacre and introduced tough gun laws.
It only takes one child having a bad day with accessibility to weapons to enter a school and murder so many cohorts and teachers. It would be unfortunate to add a security officer taken completely by surprise to this tally.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/15/it-took-one-massacre-how-australia-made-gun-control-happen-after-port-arthur
Hi Richard – thank you for your thoughtful comments. Yes, I agree that the gun culture is alive and thriving in the USA. That is why I didn’t even consider any restrictions on guns in my suggestions for making society safer here. I think having a security officer on campuses will only deter some from shooting attempts, but some is better than none. I am actively working in my local school district to enact changes. I sincerely think local efforts will be best at this point. Blessings to you!