Sandy Hook, School Shootings, and NRA Proposed Solutions

Sadly, the anticipation all of us shared for a joyful and peaceful Christmas was shattered by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. As educators, an event like this was especially traumatic because it could have happened to any one of us who spend much of our time in our nation’s schools and colleges.

Since the shootings I’ve once again tried to comprehend America’s addiction to guns. Although originally from England, I’ve now lived in the US for more than 30 years. It’s been my home for more years than many native-born ardent gun supporters. I’ve listened to, and read the views of gun advocates. I wish I could dismiss them as a tiny crazy minority, but of course most of them are quite sane and their views are widely held. They just hold beliefs that I’ve found pretty much anyone who has lived outside the USA finds incomprehensible. I certainly do.

It’s not surprising then that the recent proposal by the CEO of the National Rifle Association to place armed guards in every school alarmed me. I wondered how much time he’d spent in and around our public schools.

Was the CEO aware that millions of schoolchildren are packed tightly into the confined spaces of school buses twice daily? Hasn’t he noticed that before school, and during recess and lunch breaks, elementary-aged children swarm around on outdoor school playgrounds and older students stand socializing in groups? Did his physical education teachers never take him for lessons outside the school building onto playgrounds and fields? Just what sort of schools were in his imagination when proposing to protect schools with armed guards?

If more guns were the solution to school violence there would obviously need to be an armed guard on every school bus, a whole team of pistol-packing officers patrolling our buildings, playgrounds, and fields, and guard towers surrounding the school perimeter. But even then, how would that stop a determined killer positioned outside the school from wreaking havoc in just a few seconds using an automatic weapon and 30-bullet clip? Where does it stop? How many guns and guards will be enough to make our schools safe?

I don’t claim to know the answer to school shootings, but I’m fearful of the consequences of transforming our educational environments into armed camps. It would certainly alter what we teach, and how we teach physical education and coach interscholastic sports.

Finally, for 2013 in addition to eating healthy and staying physically active, if there is one New Year’s resolution to make and keep please do this: Regularly hug the ones you love and at every opportunity tell them that you love them.