Categories: Opinion and Editorial

Is There a Solution to School Violence?

An article written by Becky Gallops, titled “Teachers, Get Your Guns!” reminded me of another article I’d read recently about children, guns, and school violence.

In a nutshell, children in public school in Fort Worth, Texas, are being taught that if a gunman enters a classroom, instead of being passive they should mob the gunman.

Both the thought of giving teachers guns and of children mobbing a gunman give me pause to reflect on the seriousness of school violence.

I find it sad that we have to consider such things, plan for them ‘just in case’, and try to come up with solutions…but no matter how angry or afraid it makes me, I do agree that something needs to be done.

However, I’ve never condoned treating violence with violence. I know that I’m a pacifist, but I do think that there are certain instances where force absolutely has to be used. If a gunman walks into a school, that is one of those instances.

I utterly disagree, however, that we should teach children to run up and attack a gunman, doing everything in their power to disable him.

Why? Because it could easily provoke a hostile response from a hesitant gunman and I don’t know about any of you, but I don’t want my child in the first wave of attackers when the gunman opens fire.

I consider it highly irresponsible to teach children to run up and pummel someone with a weapon (or 4) for multiple reasons. One, it can provoke a violent response. Two, the proper training for that sort of thing would cost money that school districts really can’t afford. Three, I’m not sure that a child COULD be properly trained to take down a gunman. We’re talking size and strength here. Safety in numbers it may be, but at least some of those numbers are going to go down and possibly die.

Do you want it to be your child? I don’t.

School officials who support the initiative point to what they’ve learned due to the Columbine situation and the situation recently with the Amish schoolhouse. The only thing I learned in those situations is that a gunman (or more) came in and people died. Could the children have taken the gunman down? Potentially, but particularly in a small schoolhouse, more likely not.

We are ALL taught that when someone pulls out a gun that we should do what they say. Otherwise, bank robbers would get mobbed. Of course, safety in numbers applies there as well, most bank robbers don’t work alone.

What would the children do if 3 gunmen walked in? Tackle them all? Throw everything in and on their desks at all the attackers and charge willy-nilly into the fray? What if children end up hurting other children, either with hurtling objects or with the kicking and flailing that may well ensue of children mob someone coming in a doorway? This whole situation to me just seems really dangerous and not well thought-out.

What comes after this training? Special school gear that includes kevlar vests? My husband laughed when I made a crack about kevlar backpacks, but it does bring to light a disturbing issue.

Officers sent in to take down a gunman have proper equipment to do so. We’re sending our children in virtually unarmed.

I find it fortunate that no other schools so far have considered a program like this and I hope that the school officials in Fort Worth reconsider their idea, before parents’ list of school supplies has to include riot gear.