Seems someone in the Obama White House was recently tasked with cranking-out replies to the Administration’s We The People petition app. We’ve already covered the Prez’s response to the call to eliminate his personal gun free zone. This one addresses a petition—also filed in December of last year—calling for the Big O to put armed guards into American schools. [NB: After wimping-out on arming teachers and/or eliminating Bush the Elder’s Gun-Free School Zones Act, the NRA School Shield Program went nowhere.] Here’s the windup . . .
Support and fully endorse the National Rifle Association’s “National School Shield” Program.
We The People, ask the Obama administration to endorse and fully implement the National Rifle Association’s National School Shield Program.
This program would give our children immediate protection from future tragedies Like the one that took place in Newtown, CT, by placing well trained armed guards to protect our children. We the people also wish to make clear that any further gun laws will do nothing to protect our children, but will only place more restrictions on the law abiding citizens’ second amendment rights.
And here’s the pitch . . .
Here’s How We Actually Make Schools Safer
Thank you for your petition.
We’re glad you’re interested in making schools safer—it’s a critical priority. That’s what we heard when we spoke with educators, police officers and first responders, and policy experts from across the country.
And helping law enforcement agencies hire school resource officers for school districts that want them should definitely be part of the solution.
But it’s not the only step we need to take.
The President’s plan to reduce gun violence calls on Congress to provide $150 million for school districts and law enforcement agencies to hire staff to improve school safety. This grant program would empower school districts and law enforcement agencies to decide whether to use the funds to hire school resource officers, psychologists, social workers, or counselors based on the needs of their local schools.
We’re working to help ensure that schools have effective and reliable emergency management plans in place, and that students and staff are prepared to follow these plans. That last step is critical. A 2010 survey found that while 84 percent of public schools had a written response plan in the event of a shooting, only 52 percent had drilled their students on the plan in the past year. That number has to improve.
The President has also proposed a new initiative to help thousands of schools train their teachers and staff to improve school climate by promoting positive student behavior, which evidence shows is a key step to reduce violence and bullying.
And the President has also proposed a new $130 million initiative to increase access to mental health services by taking steps such as helping teachers and other adults recognize signs of mental illness in students and refer them to help if needed. As President Obama has said repeatedly, the vast majority of people with mental health problems are not violent and are in fact more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators of crime, but we know that too many of our young people turn to suicide when experiencing mental health disorders and in some cases — an untreated condition can lead to further tragedy.
We share your commitment to improving the physical security of our nation’s schools, but we just don’t think that’s enough to guarantee the safety of our kids by itself. We hope you’ll join us in pushing for a comprehensive solution.
Tell us what you think about this petition and We the People.
Stay Connected
Stay connected to the White House by signing up for periodic email updates from President Obama and other senior administration officials.
[h/t/ DN]
Im not for armed guards either. Just more of the same “prison” mentality for youths to become accustomed to, no thanks.
Armed staff & parent helpers is the only plausible & viable solution in my opinion.
As for the “Pres'” response….
” We don’t want to ACTUALLY do anything productive but we can sure waste your already malficient tax dollars while grabbing more misappropriated power. Win/Win for us!”
+1
openly armed guards are just priority targets.
Increased funding for school councilors / psychologists and the like could be a useful preventative measure but it relies on schools hiring competent employees and given the state of the education system in this country I rather doubt that’ll happen.
Except if you (or your children) actually take advantage of a Guidance Counselor or psychologist, you’ll now have a record of potential mental health issues. No firearms for you!
“Increased funding for school councilors / psychologists and the like could be a useful preventative measure but it relies on schools hiring competent employees and given the state of the education system in this country I rather doubt that’ll happen.”
It also relies on the shooter being one of the students. That was not the case at Sandy Hook. Because of this, counselors and pyschologists are always useful after the schooting but only sometimes before the shooting.
I view the response and the general attitude of the President as “we are willing to do something as long as it doesn’t interfere with our view of what is effective (political agenda).” He doesn’t really care what is effective.
Armed guards are only priority targets if the school is a priority target to begin with. The whole point is that the people who perpetrate mass shootings overwhelmingly seek out gun free zones. The idea that they would simply take out the guard(s) doesn’t fit with anything we know about their actions or mentality. Much more likely than attempting their attack on a place where an armed guard was guaranteed is that they would instead opt for a gun free zone.
….public schools are a prison for the young. Or have you never been inside one?
My High School was designed by the same architect that built our prisons. The High School did reflect the architect’s forte, about four decades after being built they decided to renovate some rooms and put in windows.
Make note because this doesn’t happen often but I’m in agreement TG. Public schools are much like prisons in both architecture and atmosphere. Statistics suggest they’re roughly as violent as prisons. Major failures have gone unanswered Re: public education for decades, but that’s a debate for another blog.
Agreed. There are around 130,000 public schools alone. The cost of putting just one in each school is absurdly expensive and for a rare event. School shooting get pub because they are rare. The solution is to do as you suggest, lift the gun free zone crap. Allow legally entitled people to carry. No one will risk a school shooting again because there is a possibility of a conceal carry on site. They only choose schools now because they are “gun free”. Lift the ban, cost NOTHIN’ and schools are infinitely safer.
There’s also the possibility that the next geeky psychopath attacking our schoolchildren is met by immediate and accurate return fire. I wouldn’t shed a single tear if the next Lanza wannabe was shot to death by an armed teacher or parent.
Once again, politicians serve up special protections for themselves and leave taxpayers in “Gun Free Zones.” The more I get to know this president, the more he disgusts me.
If he has his way, then all that will be left will be him. Him and his slaves.
Sounds like a jobs creation program -1-2 armed guards per school instead of or in addition to the Sheriff’s Dept Deputy or local Police Officer that is normally at or near the school. Hire recently discharged veterns. Stepping stone training programs for future full time or career law enforcement officers. The list goes on and on….
“…Hire recently discharged veterns…”
Yeah, but according to Feinstein all veterans have PTSD (which is a new thing since the Gulf War) and cannot be trusted.
“PTSD” or not, I wouldn’t want any soldier working as a LEO or guard of any type. Due to their military work, they are well trained in viewing anyone who isn’t part of their group as “the enemy” and their first reaction is to use violence to achieve their goal.
Totenglocke, how long were you in a combat unit, and what unit?
People in general reflexively view those who aren’t part of their social group as the enemy. It’s one of the defining traits of the human race.
So Bruce, I need to join the enemy to know how they work? I don’t need to drive drunk to understand it’s a bad idea, I don’t need to push totalitarian policies to know they’re a bad idea, and I don’t need to work as a hired thug to understand that people trained to always use violence as their one and only course of action working as police officers is a bad idea.
Until Americans get over worshiping government thugs, we will never have a shot at freedom because people like you will always be falling over yourselves to kiss the feet of your oppressors.
As a Marine and LEO, I’m ashamed to say that violence is my only coping my only coping mechanism. The psyche eval was terribly challenging, but my exceptional lying ability helped cary me through. I haven’t smiled in 20 years of government service.
/sarc
TG that’s not only absurd and insulting, it’s also statistically untrue. The violent crime rate for military veterans is below their peer groups for gender, age and economic status across the board. For combat vets the numbers are even better, they almost never commit violent crimes.
If you’re going to say something that inflammatory, try researching it a little first.
Ardent, when did I say that they commit “crimes” (other than ones sanctioned by the government)? Never. I simply pointed out that they are unstable and violent people who continually pursue careers that allow them to commit violent acts as a normal part of the job.
If you’re going to post an angry rebuttal, try reading the initial comment first.
As for Accur81, well, he’s known for his loyalty to the government and his willingness to murder anyone they tell him to without question, so there’s nothing more to say there.
Armed guards at his kids school is cool though. Theys speeshill.
Funny how is his reply to the ‘take away his armed security’ he says ‘if there is any one thing we can do for a children we should try’, yet in ‘this’ petition it appears that children are not worthy of the same armed protection. Talking out his rectum much?
Must be why his voice seems muffled lately. His underwear is too tight.
In other words he is not really responding to the actual petition, he’s just using the subject in order to grandstand about why his plan is better.
Nailed it in one.
Two words – Home School. Then the ratio of protectors to students will be pretty high.
so much for friends and social lives.
i would never send my kids to a public high school because i don’t like what they teach, but i wont keep them locked up at home either. a private high school is the way to go.
home school children score higher on college admission tests. Just about every state in the union has sports and recreational programs for homeschool children.
some of my good friends is high school were home schooled and i knew them through sports. they liked learning at their own pace and getting done with school work faster. they all still complained about how sucky it was to just stay home all day until their 3 hours of social time at practice.
there are home school groups where homeschoolers meet, but its not the same as interacting with hundreds of other students daily. i just feel that interacting with so many different people daily is healthy and needed.
If we ever get school vouchers, then sure. Until then only the well off can readily afford private schools since they are forced to pay taxes for a public school their child doesn’t go to and then pay additionally for the school that they do attend.
there are (at least in my area) quite affordable private schools. a few less times to the range and less eating out seems like a fair trade to get your child a private education.
I’d hate to bet he guy who has to write these long, rambling responses for Obama.
A simple “**** you” would suffice.
And **** you too, Mr. President.
They want our schools to remain vulnerable and defenseless. They want them ripe for another spree killing, so they can cry over more poor dead children and push their agenda. They can’t get their way without a crisis to stir up emotions and everybody knows it.
“A 2010 survey found that while 84 percent of public schools had a written response plan in the event of a shooting, only 52 percent had drilled their students on the plan in the past year. That number has to improve.”
Indeed, training and drilling is necessary, but I thought Obama was against arming the students?
(Sometimes out-of-context is SO fun 😀 )
New headline and body:
Headline: President Obama supports arming and training students!
Story: “A 2010 survey found that while 84 percent of public schools had […] a shooting, only 52 percent had drilled their students […]. That number has to improve.”
OTOH, I’ve heard about several students who drilled their teachers. They caused quite a scandal.
awesome. that’s what I want, a counselor tasked with protecting my child… remember, my sheeple, you reap what you sow….
At this point, we’re pretty much left with “kids, if someone starts shooting, run like hell. But don’t run toward your teachers, since they’re required to leave their guns in the car. Same goes any other decent adults you see. Don’t run toward the cops, either, since they will either A) mistake you for a threat, or B) be waiting for backup and unable to affect any kind of rescue for you for at least 5 extra minutes. So, yeah, just run.”
“…psychologists, social workers…”
Outstanding. I would find it comforting indeed to know that social workers and psychologists would be on hand to protect my children from an armed killer. The psychologists could help figure out what is really bothering the killer, while the social workers could work on developing programs that meet his needs with taxpayer money. That way, the killer would be happier and more well adjusted when he massacres our kids.
“psychologists, social workers, or counselors”. Exactly the kind of people who Adam Lanza had more than his share of contact with. An entire army of molly-coddlers with a billion dollar budget won’t prevent another Sandy Hook.
“I believe in armed guards, but not for you.”
Barack Hussein Obama
My kid goes to a school with at least one deputy on the grounds at all times. They are armed as normal. After school they help the local Chief of Police direct traffic. They have also been known to pull over busses when the drivers call in with student problems.. lights, siren and all. As a result, we have very little if any violence, the kids behave on the bus, and everybody feels good about it. Now, while I feel gun free zones are stupid, I am very content with the security at my daughters school.
Also, the kids are happy, productive, and the school has earned excellency in education awards hand over fist.
Resource officers are a great addition, and don`t make the school feel like a prison at all.
One thing that was pointed out to me was that if a teacher has spent a lot of time with a child – perhaps especially with a child that is struggling and therefore has received more attention from that teacher – that same teacher might hesitate if called upon to shoot that troubled child who snaps, brings in a weapon and is intent on killing his classmates.
This isn’t to say that well-trained teachers shouldn’t be armed (if they’re psychologically able to do what is needed, they should be) but it is to say that having additional armed persons in the school who are not teachers may not be a bad thing. If a janitor or administrative staffperson is competent, willing and able to assist with security, that could help. If veterans, parents or others are willing to donate time to be at the school and are competent, willing & able to assist, that could help too. Hiring a “resource officer” (or something similar) could be necessary in some circumstances. Get them specialized training to deal with a school shooting, and have them available to help protect the school.
The counseling is also a good step to take, but it by itself is not a sure-fire guarantee of preventing a problem, and is useless against someone who is not affiliated with the school who decides he wants to make the world news by being a psychopath.
Seems like another exercise in “paralysis in search of perfection”. Perfection is unobtainable, that’s why we have “good enough”. Ok, so an armed teacher is unable to pull the trigger on their pet project. Are we really any worse off than if that teacher remains unarmed? Besides, the next teacher or administrator may be able to gather the intestinal fortitude required to protect the students. Don’t let the what if’s be cause to block progress. If we did that, there would be no concealed carry, or stand your ground, or castle doctrine…
Or firearms.
When they first came on the scene, personal firearms were far inferior in all respects to the steel crossbow:
• a loud bang and huge puff of smoke invited your better-armed foes to turn you into a pincushion;
• didn’t work when damp;
• unlikely to work if jostled between priming and firing [the wheellock changed this, and was subsequently banned in many locales because assassins favored it];
• expensive and time consuming to produce, and repairs hard to come by;
• required special food;
• couldn’t directly reuse ammo;
• reloading slow;
• et cetera.
Still, they were high tech and Dragoon of Horse Jones had one, so they caught on.
They wouldn’t had we all been status quo monkeys.
This president “doesn’t get it.”
I am certainly not searching for perfection — it doesn’t exist. . I hope that both teachers and others are armed in the schools, and that they get specialized training for school defense, ideally including training at the school itself (dealing with the possibility of an incident in a classroom, a hallway, stairwell, cafeteria, gymnasium, etc.).
My main point about the teachers is that I see the logic that some would hesitate to fire on their own students … although I doubt those same teachers would have any problem firing at an intruder to defend those students. But if a teacher has significant doubt that they’d be able to fire their weapon, then they probably shouldn’t be counted on to defend the school.
I believe the idea, and hope, is that if there was a “student shooter” in one class, even if he “got the drop” on the teacher in that particular classroom another teacher with CHL in another classroom would be able to respond. The essential thing that who is or is not armed must be a secret (IMO).
YA know if the White House’s idea is so good ,then we should put counselors ,social workers and psychologist’s on board armored cars and in banks, jewelry stores, Federal buildings, airports ,no need for armed personel since money and security is less important than OUR KIDS.
Excellent. Thank you. Social workers are the scum of the Earth.
Why would Obama do anything that protects Americans and goes against his #1 Priority; Disarming America?
I’ve typed and un-typed a dozen snarky, witty or bemoaning posts, but instead I think I’ll just hold my head in my hands.
For what it’s worth, $150,000,000 is just under 1/165 of the annual education budget of New York City. It’s not going to go very far on a national level.
I doubt that they could afford an “Only a Cop can prevent school shootings” poster in every third classroom on such a frayed shoestring.
I’m off to have a good cry.
“Hmmm. And end to school shootings, you say? Don’t think so, not on my watch! We NEED those. I actually kinda get off on those… is the plane ready for Martha’s Vineyard?”
“if it saves just one child…”
Oh sorry, I forgot… That line can only be used by politicians climbing over children’s bodies in order to push their disarmament agenda.
While the child security thing is important, I think the ringer on this cause is going to be the unconstitutionality of preventing the lawfully armed from being so on school grounds. Once that’s out the window the door is open for teachers parents and volunteers to provide the security.
I don’t think we need armed guards in our schools either. Who is going to pay for all that?? I am. Everyone is. Think about it. Say 4 for 5 guards per school. There has to be close to a million schools. Talk about some tax dollars there. Second, if we do the math what really are the chances of your kid (or mine) being a victim of a school shooting? in the last 10 years there have been about 500 victims. That’s 50/year. so… population of US is about 314,000,000 people. If we use this data on children:
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
Then we get a percentage of 23.5% of the population is under the age of 18. That is 73,790,000 people.
Therefore the probably of my kid being in a school shooting is around 73,790,000 to 50 or 1,475,800 to 1.
Now lets compare that with being struck by lightning. If we use these figures:
http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_pls/probability.html
Then we are looking at about 280,000 to 1.
Given that is much more likely that my kid would be in a car crash or a even the far off chance of a lightning strike than a school shooting it looks like my tax dollars would be better placed elsewhere. Or if possible, it would be nice if we can all go ahead and just keep those tax dollars.
“But if it saves just one child we have a duty to try” (and spend those dollars).
Sounds like a liberal talking to me. First off Anonymous,you probably don’t have fire,life,health or property insurance cause odds are you don’t need it .what a waste of money that is ,fire extinguisher ? are you kidding? Why should I wear my seat belt, it just wrinkles my clothes.
If you want gun crimes to stop, especially where children are involved, then you need professional people to do the job. People familiar with firearms and their use.People who have made a career in protecting other people from gun violence. you meet force with force there is no other way.There are plenty of trained people, retired ,or ex military ,/law enforcement/NRA people etc. who would work or even volunteer time to protect our future,our kids.All you have to do is ask and watch who shows up to help.
America needs to fix it’s broken society of consumption, entitledness and blame avoidance. No amount of gun control or security can prevent tragedy. But education, love, and open discussion can solve so many problems before they even start.
Take control away from the people to make their own choices, and they will become like infants, even less capable of bringing up their children, and creating massive problems in the future.
WELL…Look forward to more mass shootings then.AND REMEMBER……WE TOLD YOU SO!!