Had a conversation last night on how to better protect our schools. Some ideas tossed around were locked up weapon in teacher's closet, security check ins, panic room built into all new schools being built, then some thought there's not much you can do, it'll happen if someone wants it to happen. The defense in the classroom now is gather kids up and hide against the wall with your head down.

What's your ideas?

Benny The Jet;1343538 wrote:locked up weapon in teacher's closet

Yes, let's enter MORE guns into the equation...

Benny The Jet;1343538 wrote:Had a conversation last night on how to better protect our schools. Some ideas tossed around were locked up weapon in teacher's closet, security check ins, panic room built into all new schools being built, then some thought there's not much you can do, it'll happen if someone wants it to happen. The defense in the classroom now is gather kids up and hide against the wall with your head down.

What's your ideas?

I think this is probably the reality.

Fly4Fun;1343539 wrote:Yes, let's enter MORE guns into the equation...

Not saying it's right or wrong. But what would you suggest? Curling in a ball against a wall isn't stopping anything

Benny The Jet;1343546 wrote:Not saying it's right or wrong. But what would you suggest? Curling in a ball against a wall isn't stopping anything

The other couple ideas you threw out there were more plausible. I'm going to guess that most elementary school teachers are women that on the whole, probably aren't qualified to be having shootouts in the presence of children.
The security check-in (especially metal detectors) is also full of flaws. The best bet is once the school day starts, have these places on absolute lock down. Keep all doors locked except for the main entrance, have any visitors go through the administration first, and even then be extremely conservative with who you let in. Limit the outsiders roaming the halls to practically none, with the exception being maybe an actual parent of a student.

Benny The Jet;1343546 wrote:Not saying it's right or wrong. But what would you suggest? Curling in a ball against a wall isn't stopping anything

Not saying I do have an answer, but I don't think adding more guns to a school environment is a good thing (even if they are locked away). In general I think the idea that more guns being the answer to gun violence is comical.

friendfromlowry;1343550 wrote:The other couple ideas you threw out there were more plausible. I'm going to guess that most elementary school teachers are women that on the whole, probably aren't qualified to be having shootouts in the presence of children.
The security check-in (especially metal detectors) is also full of flaws. The best bet is once the school day starts, have these places on absolute lock down. Keep all doors locked except for the main entrance, have any visitors go through the administration first, and even then be extremely conservative with who you let in. Limit the outsiders roaming the halls to practically none, with the exception being maybe an actual parent of a student.

Unfortunately schools will have to become more security conscious as friendfromlowry suggests.

armed school officer, which I believe many schools already do. One set of doors unlocked during the day to control who gets in the school. I would give teachers the option to have a gun locked up in their room (some sort of gun saftey course would be a prerequisite). Upon unlocking the gun, an alarm goes off in the entire school.

Pick6;1343592 wrote:armed school officer, which I believe many schools already do. One set of doors unlocked during the day to control who gets in the school. I would give teachers the option to have a gun locked up in their room (some sort of gun saftey course would be a prerequisite). Upon unlocking the gun, an alarm goes off in the entire school.

I like the alarm going off option on the gun. The problem I could see with security guard is many schools don't have extra money to pay for it

Benny The Jet;1343596 wrote:I like the alarm going off option on the gun. The problem I could see with security guard is many schools don't have extra money to pay for it

Not sure about that, because like I said Im pretty sure a lot of schools are already doing this. I believe I went to one of the poorest districts in Ohio(cant find a link), and we even had a part time Sheriff.

Pick6;1343600 wrote:Not sure about that, because like I said Im pretty sure a lot of schools are already doing this. I believe I went to one of the poorest districts in Ohio(cant find a link), and we even had a part time Sheriff.

Our school doesn't. I don't think most of the rural schools around me do either.

I agree with others. If somebody really wants to go into what amounts to a day care in body armor and kill gaggles of children, those children are getting killed. Period. There just aren't enough resources to have armed guards at every door and turn our schools into fortresses.

Moreover, we can't completely change the way we live our lives just because of five psychopaths (dating back to Klebold and Harris, I think there have been about five big-time mass school murderers). Our schools are very safe places. A handful of horrible apples doesn't change anything.

I really don't think guns in the school is the answer. Reasons have already been stated above. I think the key is not being lax on current security measures. For instance, our school locks all doors, including the main entrance. You have to ring in and tell them who you are. Problem is, they pretty much just let anyone in. It's an inconvenience to them.

But if the system was followed, this guy would have had a hard time getting in. Not a parent, and no one expecting an appointment from him. Access denied. And honestly, if a parent comes for any reason, then someone should meet them at the door and escort them to the office or a room at the main entrance, and the child brought to them. Problem is, that wouldn't stop an armed gunman.

There is no 100% foolproof way to stop this. We can only try like hell to prevent it.

Have any of you been to a school lately? This is in Piketon, a town of 2500 in the middle of nowhere! lol We have lockdown drills often, every door except the front door is locked during the school day. The front door is left unlocked, visitors are to check in with the office and receive a visitors pass clipped on their clothing. The front office is occupied by 2 secretaries and both principals offices. Right across the entrance is the library, turn right or left 40 feet are 4 classrooms. How long would it take a person to walk through the front door and enter a classroom, 45 seconds? A person could walk by and go unnoticed, the secretaries dont monitor the door full time, they are doing other things like running an office.

On our lock down drills we turn off the lights, our doors are to be locked to our classrooms throughout the day, and have the students crouch along a wall out of the line of sight of the door. If an intruder enters the classroom, we tell the students to throw anything available at the intruder, making as much noise and distractions as possible. This would slow down a shooter, but the end result would be the same.

I think to many people see just one side of the equation to the problem of gun control. I own several guns, hunting is there main purpose. The most shells anyone of them hold is 5. There is the problem, we have handguns and rifles that can be loaded with 12 to 40 rounds or more. Why? Dont ban guns, ban extended clips. Duck hunters and deer hunters magazines can only hold 3, but the guy that wants a semi auto AK-47 can buy a clip that holds 40 rounds.

I know, people will still get them illegally, but at least make them work for it! The war on drugs, poverty, and before alcohol has all went poorly, so would the war on guns if they are made illegal.

Our healthcare in this country is out of control cost wise, but try and find mental health care! Its a nightmare, why do you think we have so many homeless people, many of them suffer from mental issues that they dont want to or cant find help.

Thats the problem with these situations, there is more than 1 side to each issue. School security, gun control, mental health care, those arent easy quick fix issues.

^ reps.

WebFire;1343601 wrote:Our school doesn't. I don't think most of the rural schools around me do either.

Its very sad then if the school district cannot pass a levy to provide one.

WebFire;1343603 wrote:I really don't think guns in the school is the answer. Reasons have already been stated above. I think the key is not being lax on current security measures. For instance, our school locks all doors, including the main entrance. You have to ring in and tell them who you are. Problem is, they pretty much just let anyone in. It's an inconvenience to them.

This sounds like probably the most reasonable system. They should just be a lot more selective with who they let in. From what I understand, this guy yesterday was there because his mom was a teacher (but she wasn't there at the time?) Unless you're a parent and your presence was expected whether it be picking up a child, visiting for lunch, etc., then they should probably tell any random guy who isn't a parent to fuck off.

"dont bring a knife to a gun fight"

What is to prevent somebody from sneaking a hand gun into a school (even if he is let in)?

Pick6;1343612 wrote:Its very sad then if the school district cannot pass a levy to provide one.

It shouldn't require additional revenue to provide saftey services. The amount of funding we provide now per student is significant. What other expense has a greater priority than a proposed safety measure?

Con_Alma;1343616 wrote:It shouldn't require additional revenue to provide saftey services. The amount of funding we provide now per student is significant. What other expense has a greater priority than a proposed safety measure?

I agree, but you have to take into consideration that a concentration on school security is something fairly new that didnt start to happen until after Columbine.

Apparently salaries.

Pick6;1343617 wrote:I agree, but you have to take into consideration that a concentration on school security is something fairly new that didnt start to happen until after Columbine.

Apparently salaries.

I disagree that school security concentration is something new. The districts simply haven't went far enough apparently. Salaries are not more important than ensuring employees and customers are safe.

Con_Alma;1343620 wrote:I disagree that school security concentration is something new. The districts simply haven't went far enough apparently. Salaries are not more important than ensuring employees and customers are safe.

Nor did I say they were, that is just my interpretation due to the fact of teachers going on strike for levy's not passing, when there are more important levy's that could be getting passed. Citizens would be more likely to vote to increase the safety of their children than the salary of the teachers.

Pick6;1343624 wrote:Nor did I say they were, that is just my interpretation due to the fact of teachers going on strike for levy's not passing, when there are more important levy's that could be getting passed. Citizens would be more likely to vote to increase the safety of their children than the salary of the teachers.

I didn't state you said salaries were more important. It was me that emphasized that they are not.

People should be inspired to provide more money to add protection. They should demand it with the revenue provided. There's plenty of money provided to our public education system.

Con_Alma;1343626 wrote:I didn't state you said salaries were more important. It was me that emphasized that they are not.

People should be inspired to provide more money to add protection. They should demand it with the revenue provided. There's plenty of money provided to our public education system.

What about our private schools? My job takes me in and out of schools. I have visited many non profit charter schools that are barely getting by, I can assure you that they dont have the money to install a state of the art secuirty system.

KR1245;1343628 wrote:What about our private schools? My job takes me in and out of schools. I have visited many non profit charter schools that are barely getting by, I can assure you that they dont have the money to install a state of the art secuirty system.

My kids attend a private school. The cost per student being spent, although not nearly equivalent to that in the public schools, is still plenty to provide the services need. I am not suggesting it can be done in one fell swoop but if the lightening rod moment was Columbine there has been and is plenty of time to fund and provide the necessary services.

Pick6;1343612 wrote:Its very sad then if the school district cannot pass a levy to provide one.

It has nothing to do with a levy. Probably more like, why should we NEED an armed guard. Maybe that's changing. I'm not sure it is. This is an extreme reaction to a rare event.