In The News Today...

Quote: kenarman

And Homeland Security, lost productivity, and all the other security measures enacted since 9/11 have only cost 100's of billions of dollars. Such a wise investment.

I'll post my own counterpoint. One cannot argue how many lives these counterterrorism measures have saved. For example, the Israelis thwarted an ISIS plot to take down a plane flying from Sydney to the UAE last year. Who knows how many shoe bombers and liquid explosive attacks were thwarted due to these efforts, albeit quite costly.

But frankly, if the feds or states fund it, schools will begrudgingly accept the armed security guard as a trade for protection at this point. It would cost 2.2 billion (98,000 public schools x $15/hour (assume $11/hour + $4/hour benefit - health care) x 8 hours / day (includes extracurriculars) x 40 hours / week x 38 weeks) to put an armed guard at the front of every school.

I see this as more of a doable solution than gun control at this point. I would rather see that than teachers conceal/carry. Too much chance that they'll let a gun get loose.

I don't want to come in here with a pro-"arm the schools" post. I've not thought about it near enough and my mind's not made up. BUT... have you been to, say, an arena lately? 8" steel bollards buried in the ground in huge swaths around all congregational areas, several para-military stationed at every entry and egress, highly visual presence of a number of local / state 5-0. This for a freaking Bills game. I do not notice the para-mil, but the bollards and 5-0 cannot be missed when I head into town to watch the Leafs, either.

You ever been to a bank without active barriers? Ever been to a casino without armed guards / police presence? Even the $40k I sent out of the truck stop every day had TWO armed men in armor handling my bitty little satchel. And my piss-ass POS governor has an entire motorcade of tough guys with double digit weapons between them.

Yet when it comes to our children...

It might be wise for you to read The Mentally Disturbed Teacher.
Perhaps even write an update to the book.

I'm not "pro arm the schools", but I see it as inevitable.

Quote: boymimbo

But frankly, if the feds or states fund it, schools will begrudgingly accept the armed security guard as a trade for protection at this point. It would cost 2.2 billion (98,000 public schools x $15/hour (assume $11/hour + $4/hour benefit - health care) x 8 hours / day (includes extracurriculars) x 40 hours / week x 38 weeks) to put an armed guard at the front of every school.

I don't think you want a 15 $ per hour employee. Either ccp parent volunteers or go full monte and hire some off duty 5-0, maybe retired military.

Quote: boymimbo

I'm not "pro arm the schools", but I see it as inevitable.

I see it as inevitable
Our country has become so unsafe, its the only solution
The irony that conservatives are screaming that Muslims will make our country unsafe when schools being targets of assault weapons have nothing to do with Muslims.
So sad that we live in a country so unsafe, we have to have armed guards at our schools
Other countries don't have this problem. Only us and its getting worse
sad

In the 70's, all the kids in junior high school in Nikiski Alaska brought .22 rifles to class everyday for firearm training. Every kid. No problems.

The problem isn't the hardened metal inanimate objects.

Quote: petroglyph

In the 70's, all the kids in junior high school in Nikiski Alaska brought .22 rifles to class everyday for firearm training. Every kid. No problems.

The problem isn't the hardened metal inanimate objects.

Wasn't just there. Ma toted a rifle both to and into school daily. Rifle teams used to be a thing; I used to find spent brass in the high school basement when digging out baseball gear in winter. She was 70's as well.

I don't recall us ever having guns at school, but ours was such that it could've happened out of memory because stuff like that wouldn't have been out of place. I know I openly sold boxes of 12g #4 right in math class. Just dump em right out on my desk without even a thought that they should be hidden or done in secret. It's just what we did.

Quote: boymimbo

I'll post my own counterpoint. One cannot argue how many lives these counterterrorism measures have saved. For example, the Israelis thwarted an ISIS plot to take down a plane flying from Sydney to the UAE last year. Who knows how many shoe bombers and liquid explosive attacks were thwarted due to these efforts, albeit quite costly.

But frankly, if the feds or states fund it, schools will begrudgingly accept the armed security guard as a trade for protection at this point. It would cost 2.2 billion (98,000 public schools x $15/hour (assume $11/hour + $4/hour benefit - health care) x 8 hours / day (includes extracurriculars) x 40 hours / week x 38 weeks) to put an armed guard at the front of every school.

I see this as more of a doable solution than gun control at this point. I would rather see that than teachers conceal/carry. Too much chance that they'll let a gun get loose.

The armed guard at every school is really a silly thing. Most schools have no need, and when a shooter is somewhere a guard is not then we will hear we need two, three, four........

All for a very small problem when you get down to it.

Quote: AZDuffman

The armed guard at every school is really a silly thing. Most schools have no need, and when a shooter is somewhere a guard is not then we will hear we need two, three, four........

All for a very small problem when you get down to it.

Your insensitivity is unconscionable. Tell the citizens of Sandy Hook or the citizens of Parkland, FL that it's a very small problem.
I guess 9/11 was a very small problem, too.