Most died at the very start of their young lives, tiny victims taken in a way not fit no matter one’s age. Others found their life’s work in sheltering these little ones, teaching them, caring for them, treating them as their own. After the gunfire ended Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the trail of loss was more than many could bear: 20 children and six adults at the school, the gunman’s mother at home, and the gunman himself.
Comments
It’s obvious now that we have to turn our elementary schools into fortresses. Today I heard on the radio that the killer came through a window in the school, obviously with no one in the room where he entered. This seems strange that there was a window to an empty room. But apart from that, what is needed is that all windows and doors be locked down to prevent outside entry. Then, of course, the school would have to have air conditioning, which admittedly would be extremely expensive. Is there another option? If outside entry is impossible, then there would be no need for an armed guard, some would argue but for extra precaution, why not? There should be security cameras surrounding the schools feeding into the local police station. Anyone seen roaming around the building could immediately be seen and escorted off the property. Of course, if they have weapons with them, they should be arrested and charged. But if the suspect knew he could not gain entry from the outside in the first place, he would be a fool to try to risk arrest, being seen roaming around a building he cannot enter. Then if he were fool enough to smash open a window, all windows would have to have an alarm system, alerting the principal’s office and all classrooms. Teachers licensed to pack handguns (I suggest all of them), would then be at the ready.
Safety for the elementary children when playing outside during lunch time: This becomes a difficult safety problem to solve. We can ask the security experts how this could best be done. My amateur solution would be that the security cameras would now serve their most useful purpose. Need I further explain how? In addition, the play yard for the children would have to be fenced off with brick walls.
When they leave school to enter the buses, the whole area with the use of the security cameras would have to be screened to ensure the children’s safety before and during their departure. Teachers, again packing handguns would escort them or the local police could. Sounds crazy? Yes, but it’s a crazy world we are living in.
I recommend that all teachers be licensed to pack a handgun . For high school, colleges and universities, that’s a whole new chapter for this small space to cover.