Redneck hunter2022's blog series inspired me to share my thoughts. School Shootings are a serious problem. Colorado, Wisconson and Pennsylvania all experienced tragic shootings in about 1 week. Columbine of course is in everyone's vocabulary now. Its not easy to protect ourselves or those we love from it but here's some exploration of the options and my response.
Police Tactics
It is absolutely crucial that in every school drills are held that involve students and police. Police must know the layout of a school, all entrances and exits, etc. If proper training is conducted on how to deal with a crisis, it would make a situation much more manageable. Of course, you cant predict everything, but general plans and options can only help. School districts shouldn't be responsible for buying rifles, body armor, or ballistics helmets. Police stations are more adequetley equipped to handle these tools and - as many police stations would service multiple schools in a county - it is more prudent to have shared materials in one more centralized organization than for each school to supply them.
Metal Detectors
I'm still undecided here honestly. I think metal detectors can do a lot of good, but can't be expected to be a solution on their own and I think it's a dangerous trap to think that metal detectors will stop any problem. However, they act as a serious deterrent and I think they are a strong option. Yes, they are costly - but we can't put a price on our safety. If detecters were deemed necessary, the money would be found. Delays do occur but students can adjust - as pragmatic people, humans generally learn to adjust to different routines...its not that hard to get to school 10 minutes earlier. A serious conern is the back up at the detectors that is a risk to have everyone gathered at once, and expeditious systems and routine could combat this problem.
Teachers Carrying Guns?
Honestly, I think this is a really really horrible idea. After the shooting in Bailey - near my school - the idea came up mutliple times, but I think its a really bad idea.
- A teacher can just as easily have a meltdown as a student and then theyd have access to a gun right now. Qualified to carry a gun doesnt guarantee they're 100% safe to use it.
- Plus, think if there are any smaller teachers in your school. It would be so easy to overpower some of the smaller teachers in my school and get the gun from them or pull the key to the safe. Just bringing more guns into school only will increase the amount of times theyre used
- Also, having guns around would be distracting and uncomfortable for students. As I said, I'm in an area very connected to the Bailey shooting - I know Emily Keye's brother, I debated with her when she was alive - and i cant possibly imagine having a constant reminder every day of how unsafe the world is and of how we lost an amazing, beautiful girl. It's true - we could die anywhere, anytime - cars, planes, the sidewalk, your bed, a heartatttack, spoiled food, a gunshot to the head - but we don't need o be reminded of it everywhere we turn, least of all in a place that is supposed to be safe - like a school. Yes, live concientiously, but one shouldn't have to battle the risks of real life everywhere one turns. Leave the guns away and let people live with risk, but not be uncomfortable every time the flash of metal is seen in a desk drawer or a belt holster.
Armed Guards/Resource Officers
We had a resource officer in my previous school and honestly, I felt safer knowing she was there. As with the metal detectors, if a guard was deemed necessary, school systems would find the money for it. The government would have to reallocate resources, but the money would be found. This is a great help - while it could take time for an officer to get through the school, its a good element of a response program and a deterrent in general.
Vigilance
is key. Just as redneck hunter said - Duane Morrrison at Platte Canyon High lurked around the parking lot and the library for more than an hour. Trust me, I've been to that schools a couple of times, I've sat in that library for hours myself - its not a big school and it should not be hard to notice someone out of place. I'm not berating the Platte Canyon school itself, I could never do that. However, being attentive and aware and cautious is key. My school now requires everyone to check in at the front desk, all entrances are looked but the main door that passes by the reception desk, and every visitor is required to have a badge or a sticker clearly displayed. If we see someone without it, we are supposed to report it. It can be as easy as pulling aside a teacher and saying "hey theres a man without a badge. I don't know if its a big deal but i thought I should mention it" -- inoffensive enough, eh? If a student makes a threat, telling on him should never stop someone. Its hard but there are police tiplines, theres plenty of teachers and administraters, you could slip an anonymous note onto a teachers desk. Being a 'rat' is better than losing a friend...
The Media
I think its simplistic to say the media is bad in the issue of school shootings. Without the media, who would have known about what happened at Platte Canyon or in Wisconsin or in the Amish school? Who would have heard the message from the family of Emily Keyes killed at Platte Canyon - "Random Acts of Kindness for Emily". The media does remember those people, but it also villanizes the bad guys, and rightfully. There is no one who would hear the name Duane Morrison, recognize it, and not feel the disgust rising like bile in your insides. But the media must take the burden to promote the good - like the Sheriff in Bailey who made a difficult but honorable desicion. The media must not in any way idolize those who kill in the shootings. If not for the media, we wouldnt be reading or discussing this now. Because think - the guard was down at Platte Canyon because there has been few minor incidents in the news in years. Columbine High was a while ago and its not headlines by any means any more. Vigiliance falls without the occasional reminder that safety and precaution should be continued.
MY Conclusion
School shootings are a big deal. Everyone knows that schools operate every day just fine. But when someone mars the would-be sanctity of a place of learning, it should be big news, because it is unacceptable to take away the atmosphere that youth live in every day and moreover to take away one or multiple lives. Of course, not everything can be in the news. There just isn't time in the world to broadcast every incident of violence in schools, at the workplace, or just in public. But it must be brought to attention when something occurs. Keep living - you have to - danger is everywhere, you can't be paralyzed by it. But be concientious and take precautions to avoid something that can be stopped.
Watch out for the underdogs of our societies - everyone deserves to be heard and to be watched out for. Theres no way to say who may or may not meltdown and go on a killing spree, but when you notice someone showing dangerous, telltale signs, don't just brush it off. Seek help. Be vigilant.
My formula? Absolutely drills and plans and cooperation with the local police, also systems of identifying people inside schools, a resource officer, and mostly vigilance.
We cannot let this issue fall by the wayside. Attacks can be deterred or dealt with if precaution is taken.
I live a county over from Platte Canyon High School in Colorado. My neighbooring community lost a beautiful girl, Emily Keyes, and myself and many friends knew her or those close to her. The pain that the loss brought was devestating and cannot be allowed to happen anywhere. There should be no more Platte Canyon murders or Columbine tragedies or situations like the Amish school EVER.
Random Acts of Kindness for Emily was the request of the Keyes family after the murder. Do something small to make someone elses day brighter. Spare a dollar from your pocket, smile at someone in the hall, give directions to a lost traveller, invite someone to sit with you at lunch. It doesn't seem like much and it probably wouldn't stop someone who would take the life of another from doing something so horrible, but the little things are what make this world a better place for us all.
www.EmilyKeyes.com
www.ILoveyouGuys.org
http://insidedenver.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5027167,00.html
This is exactly what I wanted to hear. A well thought out opinion. Unfortnatly you were the only one to actually speak out so far. I like your perspective on things and agree with you on all of it.
I'm sorry to hear about Emily. Just from what you told me and the links you gave I could tell she was a well liked girl.
http://www.colbertnation.com/
http://www.NRA.org/
I like what you've written. Though I'm an avid sportsman, I believe some individuals don't mix well with 'guns' -- or cars, financial accounts or other positions of trust. The sad truth is we must exercise vigilance every day of our lives. I believe every kid, teacher and LE responder at Platte has poured over what they could have done differently Sept 27. Maybe nothing. I believe everyone should consider being prepared to act as a team under very adverse conditions -- even at the risk of greater loss of life. “All for one, one for all.” What if the teachers, boys or other girls refused to leave Emily and her peer alone? What if they made it abundantly clear to all it was all for one, one for all, nothing more, nothing less? Maybe more blood, but maybe a stand down, too. I don't believe a child should have ever been forced to face this monster alone. Not ever. In the heat of the SWAT charge, I would foresee any criminal exercising only rage. The best possible outcome then was Park/Jefferson County's SWAT team insuring the perpetrator would not walk out the doors alive with their criminal hatred of our children, humanity and society -- not even into prison. Everyone else should expect the same, nothing more or less, if they elect to put our future (e.g., our kids) at risk. Harsh words, but that's how I feel.