Controversial Idea

Once again, a "gun free zone" has been the site of a horrible attack by a troubled person with a gun.  It is a terrible tragedy whenever this happens.  One that seizes the headlines, and gives the perceptions that semi-automatic weapons are the bane of our society.  Even though the FBI has shown, that more people are killed each year by blunt force than by semi-automatic rifles, significant numbers aren't killed in one fell swoop.  Schools are the perfect target for these troubled individuals since they are well known as "gun free zones".  They can go on a shooting spree and not worry too much about getting stopped until the cops arrive.  That is, if they don't off themselves first.

Okay, here is a controversial, maybe even radical idea; the Secretary of Education should make it MANDATORY that all teachers and staff participate in firearms defensive tactical training.  They would then be given the choice to carry, or possess a firearm on school grounds for the protection of students and staff.  But only AFTER they completed the MANDATORY training.  Signs would then be prominently displayed around the school entrances stating that all teachers and staff have been trained in tactical defense of students on school premises.

Give the mandate a five year sunset date.  Then, if these mass school shootings do not show a drop, the mandate would no longer be in effect.  If, however, it does show a decrease in the number of attacks, and a corresponding decrease in the number of victims, would that not be a good test of whether the knowledge that the schools are now longer a safe place for these 'troubled individuals' to go try to make a staement by killing people?

If you had no idea if; the janitor, a secretary, or any number of other staff members might also be packing and trained in how to use a weapon, would you be more or less inclined to bring a gun to a school and try to open up with it?  Somehow, I doubt it.  I am not saying that all staff members be mandated to carry firearms.  I am saying that they should all be trained in how to use them in an emergency situation.  It would be up to the individual staff members to decide whther to carry or not.  Whether or not to accept the responsibility of carrying a firearm to use for the defense of yourself and others is a highly personal choice.  I would not presume to make that choice for another person.  However being trained how to use one in an emergency, along with a healthy dose of firearms safety training, I belive should be mandatory if you choose to work in a place that is so blatantly open to attack by someone liable to commit one of these 'Mass Shootings'.  Schools are the most widely known of the "gun free zones".  Teachers and staff should be trained for the possible emergency that can come with being such a public target.

Like I said, this is no doubt a radical idea.  But the status quo isn't working.  Maybe it is time for a radical idea to be given a try.

Catch you on the road sometime...