Our public schools are finally coming to their senses when it comes to how we can protect our children.
The solution has never been to make schools a “gun-free zone.” We all know what happens when no one can fight back against armed assailants. Instead, one school in Palmetto, Florida, will place two armed veterans on the grounds.
According to The New York Times,
By the end of February, the students at Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto, Fla., will see two combat veterans in body armor roaming the grounds, each carrying a 9-millimeter Glock handgun and a semiautomatic rifle with a 17-inch barrel.If an armed intruder were to enter the campus, “we’re not looking for a fair fight,” Bill Jones, the principal, said in an interview. “We’re looking at an overwhelming advantage.”
Legislation passed after the Parkland massacre last year requires schools in Florida to have at least one “safe-school officer.” Manatee School for the Arts, a charter for 2,100 middle and high school students, is the only school in Manatee County that chose to hire guards who carry rifles, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department, which trained the guards.
Statistics show that there is much less of a chance of someone attempting to attack on a person or place when there is a threat of armed citizens who can and will shoot back.
The Blaze also reports,
Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto, Florida, hired the school guardians to comply with state legislation requiring schools to have at least one “safe-school” officer. Principal Bill Jones said they have good reason to go above and beyond the minimum requirements.
“We’re not looking for a fair fight,” Jones said of potential active shooter situations. “We’re looking at an overwhelming advantage.”
One of the guards has 15 years of infantry experience, and the second veteran guardian will start working later in February. Jones wanted combat veterans who can be trusted to react quickly and correctly under fire.
“I wouldn’t hire anybody who hadn’t been shot at and fired back,” Jones said. “I need someone who has been in that situation.”
This is a huge leap in the right direction for public education. I just hope other schools will follow the example set by Manatee School’s lead.
