I'm for the cheap, effective solutions:
Allow teachers and staff with concealed carry permits to have their weapons with them at school if they choose. That has been the situation here in Utah for years, with practically zero negative effects. I think we did have one negligent discharge, with no injuries. But if you try to shoot up one of our schools, you risk having the art teacher or the custodian pop a cap on you.
I served a term as XO for our local community shooting range. I had 130 volunteer Range Officers who staffed the range, each trained, each serving 40 hours per year. I find it very easy to believe that we could get a comparable response to a request for volunteers to protect our schools if that's what we wanted.
All peace officers were once civilians. If a civilian can learn to be a peace officer, a civilian can learn to be an armed school guard.
Denton, I usually agree with every word in each of your posts.
This time I must take exception. Police are civilians, and they need to remember that fact. Far too many departments are taking the attitude of paramilitary with "lowly civilians" as the enemy.
The duty of military is to "kill people and break things". The duty of police is to "protect and serve".
But yes, I agree to the intent of your post. Civilians can be and are trained for military service every day. Common citizens are armed and trained as police every day. There is no reason that at least 50% of teachers in our schools should not be carrying a concealed weapon.
