The NRA’s post-Newtown School Shield Task Force released a comprehensive report on how to improve anti-spree killer security for this nation’s schools. [Click here to read the pdf.] Despite the report’s common sense, comprehensive suggestions, the nation ignored it. And so, while “the sleeve” seems like a good idea – I’d like to see someone really yank that door – you have to wonder if it’s a band-aid. A device that gives teachers and administrators a false sense of security that may distract them from more important measures. Such as, I dunno, arming civilians inside the school. Or is it a matter of do what you can and every little bit helps? [ED: Auto-playing video after the jump]
The sleeve seems like it would be an effective and relatively low-cost component of a good contingency plan. As long as administrators don’t forget the “plan” part and opt instead to rely exclusively on the thing. Which would be bad.
The “bulletproof blanket” thing is just…I mean…there are no words.
I tried to come up with words. I failed.
“… Or is it a matter of do what you can and every little bit helps?”
Neat idea! Schools should probably add that little wedgie-thing anyway.
And not just schools, lots of places could benefit from the little gizmo.
The only problem I see with it would be schools buying a bunch and then saying ‘done.’ and not doing anything else. Even in the video you see a full size window right next to the door that wouldn’t stop a shooter, or someone with an axe, or big-ass hammer……
So, yeah, every little bit helps… the ones add up.
OF COURSE that’s all they’ll do.
My educated suspicion is that kids are far more likely to die on the way to or from school than to die in a school shooting. No matter what solution is proposed to statistically rare events like mass killings, they’re likely to be knee jerk and incredibly ineffective. Meanwhile, most of them contribute to the “schools as prisons” mantra while encouraging mass fear and hysteria. Schools, and the world in general, has never been safer for children. That’s a fact that gets lost in the rabble from both sides.
Schools as prisons? No. Schools are prisons — for young minds.
Ralph, “prisons” or “education camps”? Stinks either way, though.
The female reporter pulling on the door could have bent that sleeve at the hinges if she actually tried a few more times. Someone who really wanted in could probably get that door open in less than a minute, and all that banging would do was increase the terror and panic inside the room. Also, there’s a really big window right next to that door. What if someone just started shooting through the window?
BIngo, On the local news a couple days ago (“inventor” from Iowa). Feel good BS.
the “active shooter” BS is so rare as to rate little concern. How about spending more time on TEACHING the little rug rats.
Bad guy “door opens 1 but is obviously blocked” why is that? Because something of value inside. Break/shootout window.
Teachers are so clueless.
“Look! I’m a tactical turtle!”
All I could hear was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles unite!
“I’d like to see someone really yank that door”
Unless it is a steel reinforced frame, it would rip right out, the sleeve turns the whole door into a lever arm against the pneumatic buffers mounting.
It’s an improvement.
The first prototypes had silhouettes and the second had a 10 ring.
Nothing like making a small fast-moving erratic target into something larger and slower moving.
Nice.
My high school didn’t have door closers. This thing would’ve been useless. However, the doors were heavy steel and could all be deadbolted, and the (small) windows in the doors were reinforced with wire. Even if the window were broken out, you weren’t getting your hand in there.
Someone could still shoot through the glass, but with limited visibility and mobility, the chances of hitting someone would be a lot lower.
I do agree though that every little bit helps. This sleeve isn’t meant to be anything more than a deterrent. Perp can’t open door, moves on to next room. Still better to deadbolt but better than nothing.
The SROs now running around in many schools are also a step in the right direction. It was an SRO that interrupted the recent Oregon event, and an SRO that interrupted the mass stabbing here in New Kensington (as well as the Arapahoe CO shooting, IIRC). So they ARE helping.
The problem with SRO’s is that they are cops (thugs with badges). They have shown (and continue to show) a tendency to arrest small children for minor behavior infractions,handcuff them, take them to the police station and interrogate them, all while not informing their parents. This thoroughly traumatizes the child. They have also been known to physically assault young students for minor behavior infractions.
Cops in schools are NOT the answer. Better than nothing to help out with active shooters, but cops in schools is a very bad idea. Better to allow staff volunteers to be armed or have quick access to locked up firearms.
Random thoughts:
1) So, when there is no one in the room tall enough to reach the stupid thing?
2) Bet the Fire Marshall loves this.
3) Another company comes up with something stupid to get taxpayer dollars.
4) Everyone will get sooooooo tired of putting it on and off every door that eventually it will be forgotten. In the meantime, nothing else will have been implemented because this will be perceived as THE solution.
And the blanket thing? Wow. “Stupid is as stupid does.”
It is fun to watch people who are desperate to find an alternative to the one solution we all know will work. They will throw money at scam artists all day long and into the night. Hey, how about a bullet proof blanket that goes over the door and a real lock? No, that would make too much sense, even worse it might work. A bullet proof lockable security door would just be silly.
A bullet-proof door and lock is anything but infallible. First of all, classrooms will NOT keep their doors closed and locked at all times. Thus, just about anyone could walk up to a classroom, close the door behind them, and have somewhere between 20 and 30 students that are sitting ducks … which is exactly what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary. Granted, the spree killer would have to be discrete before getting to that classroom, but that isn’t hard at all to do.
I am not saying that classrooms should not have steel doors and locks. What I am saying is that steel doors and locks cannot be the PRIMARY element of a response plan.
Bob is correct.
I watch the parents (with the blank stares), law enforcement (cross arms…here we go again) reporter (the great communicator) and Mr. inventor (hero and keeper of the flame) try to wrap their brains around the the new thing on their worry list. When as Mr. Bob said the uncomfortable real world solution is a gun.
How we got to a point where citizen abdicate their survival to incompetent educators (lacking get the ugly job of killing a mad person), legislators (logic of mass control for culling the population) and finally to parents for putting up with this madness.
I don’t have a problem with the concept – somewhat innovated and relatively inexpensive, but only one piece of a larger plan.
However, I can’t help chuckling at the thought of the thousands of times this will be used by students to lock out the teacher who has momentarily stepped out of the room.
It seems to me that they are spending a lot of time, effort, and money in an attempt to feel safe – not to actually do anything constructive. And that is what a lot of anti gun sentiment is based on, feelings.
Wow, shuffle Forest shuffle
That device is all well and good as a MINOR element of a response plan. The MAJOR elements of the response plan must be:
(1) Staff, students, and visitors who are unarmed should immediately evacuate AWAY from attackers.
(2) Staff and visitors who are armed should immediately engage the attacker.
I said this in another post today and I am saying it again. This is the only sensible response plan. Why? Because an attacker who is under fire cannot casually walk around in search of victims. And more importantly, an attacker cannot execute victims who are not there!
wow those are quite possibly the greatest inventions evah!!! (SARC)
Is there something wrong with having inside door locks to start with?
I don’t know. Maybe they were worried about kids locking teachers out?
This is clearly a band-aid, though. Until they get decent locks in place.
Mmmmmm – this ^.
It’s a band-aid. I am so happy my kids are out of public school & my grandkids are home schooled. Sigh…
Doesn’t it seem a bit counter-intuitive that the current standard school response to an Active Killer is to gather all of the little targets into large masses, lock them in, and then hope that the Active Killer gets tired before he reaches the last mass target and decides to either off himself or go home to play more video games? That approach would seem to make sense when the Active Killer is OUTSIDE of the school and can’t get IN, but doing it when he/she’s already INSIDE makes no sense. Yet, they do it every time. Granted, if you send all of the kiddies outside at the first sign of an indoor Active Shooter, they are additional targets if the Killer has a friend outside, are hard to keep track of, and difficult to get back; However, it is far harder to hit a rapidly-moving small target than it is to hit a stationary one under a desk or in a closet, or holding up a ballistic blanket.
Why, then, is the standard instruction from all of the ‘experts’ in the case of workplace Active Killers to first GET OUT if you can, followed by ‘DUCK AND COWER’ if you can’t, followed by FIGHT BACK if you are being killed and/or eaten at the time and cannot accomplish the first two steps?
Perhaps we should rethink how schools respond to fire alarms; Maybe we should gather all of the children into one big room, lock them in, and hope that the fire doesn’t burn that far before the fire department gets there, betting that they will get there in time as they are only minutes away, just like the police. . .
What am I missing?
Why, then, is the standard instruction from all of the ‘experts’ in the case of workplace Active Killers to first GET OUT if you can, followed by ‘DUCK AND COWER’ if you can’t, followed by FIGHT BACK if you are being killed and/or eaten at the time and cannot accomplish the first two steps?
Schools, at least in my local area, are beginning to move away from the lock down plan in favor of this type of response.
This is what happens when people have good intentions, but no knowledge of firearms.
There’s a big differemce between cover and concealment. Most handgun calibers can easily go through a door or cinderblock wall.
Indeed, and meanwhile, the first responders can’t get in because the only one tall enough to reach the thing is one of the casualties.
Whatever happened to the good old fashioned deadbolt?
because no school shooter has ever pulled a fire alarm & shot kids as they exit..