Can you clarify something for me? The dogs that came to my school were intended to prevent any firearms on campus. The school was aware of the potential threat and used resources to mitigate it, how is that negligent? How many resources do we need to protect our kids? Where does the line stop?
My school shooter was a brand new pupil who shot and killed a wonderful kid, our friend.
Every time a school shooting happens I wonder if those students will also have a "grieving" assembly like we did afterwards. Our dead friend's parents spoke to the entire school and it was gut wrenching to witness.
Then we went back to class and were expected to be normal people again.
This is all my opinion on the matter...and I worked in public school for years, focused on at-risk students. I've seen, know, and experienced just about everything a person can imagine when it comes to public school students.
I will also state my opinion that there is no guarantee of safety, anywhere, any time.
I know what a secure building looks like. Go to your local courthouse (in the U.S.) and walk in, more than likely you'll run smack dab in to an armed guard, or two, and the conveyor belt for your goodies, they might make you turn your cell phone on and change the screen, walk through the detector, and then get wanded if necessary. Go to the Airport and go through the screening process prior to boarding the plane, that's what it looks like. Enter any federal building, that's what a secure building looks like. Most often, armed personnel at the door, a conveyor for bags, keys, etc., a walk through detector, and a person with a wand if necessary based on the results of the walk through. I've heard all the arguments against this process, but it is what it is. If you want a secure building, do what the folks who have secure buildings do.
As for armed teachers, the answer is the same, for me, every time. When a shooter enters a building with a rifle, I don't care if it's an ar-15, or a bolt action 30-06, or a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver or two, or a combination thereof...that person owns the area they are in until they run out of ammo, the gun jams for some reason, they commit suicide or give up, or they are confronted with and stopped by someone. Armed personnel have a chance against an armed intruder with a semi-automatic rifle, or other firearm, unarmed people are at their mercy.
Procedures for arming teachers are in place in numerous schools throughout the U.S. Most, if not all, do not, and never would, require a teacher to carry a firearm. It's a personal choice in some schools, it is designated for administration in others, and there are schools where a few select teachers are chosen, and nobody else. (This approach, in my opinion, is not as effective as preventing the firearm from entering the building, though I do think armed personnel in school buildings is a positive piece of an overall prevention strategy)
I'll add, I do think it negligent to allow a school building to remain a soft target in this day and age, meaning, to NOT have armed personnel at the door and metal detection procedures in place.
This entire post is my opinion.
