In a free society the only real defense is the individual being ready to fight back. Locks, doors and bars can all be defeated by a determined attacker.
Agree 100%. Seems as though most teachers are liberal, and wouldn't be armed if they had the option. I have a half sister that's a teacher and I know she wouldn't tote a handgun. She sure complained about citizens having (weapons of war). I told her perp could have done same thing with a pump shotgun and his pockets full of shells.
I was at a local teacher/classified inservice couple decades back, and the local LEO addressing this subject said, to effect, "lock down and cower".
At the time there were no SRO in the schools.
"Quote: "We can be here in two minutes."
For once in my life I kept my mouth shut and did not point out that:
1. In two minutes, I can fire and reload a bolt action or pump firearm at least a dozen times. Probably closer to 20. How much additional time is it going to take the cops that arrive in whatever time frame to gain intel, get organized (wait for backup???), and access the shooter? Semi-autos with even 10 round magazines with extra mags carried, puts that into the several dozens of shots , minimum. Ditto bolt actions with extra "clips".
I was not reassured. Several years later we had a potential wild parent situation. All 5 doors in the small school I was at were kept locked. I suspect the principal, a former Miss Alaska, hunter, and shooter, may have had a piece on campus, against district policy. I suspect she may have suspected the same of me. It was never discussed.
Against school district policy, ya know? It came to nothing, however.
Unless there is an armed person at hand, the quickest the perp can be stopped is likely no less than 10 minutes under the above conditions.
That's a lot of shooting time!
IMO, the proper response to the Virginia Tech shooter was for everyone to attack as soon as he came through the clasroom door, with thrown.books, cell phones, backpacks, and in person. Panic and passivity just didn't cut it.
