Letter to the Editor: A better way
BY Jim Mixon, Tulsa
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
1/09/13 at 7:46 AM
I am opposed to the suggestion of arming teachers. Such an action would not be the answer to protecting our nation's students. About all it would guarantee is that the teacher would be the first person shot by an intruding gunman, who would have his weapon in ready position while the teacher's weapon would be at best attached to his or her hip.
Another problem with arming teachers is the danger of one of them being ambushed by four or five students, perhaps in a hall or restroom, and being relieved of his or her weapon (and possibly being shot dead on the spot).
There is a better way. How about installing motion detector alarms at all of the outside doors that are locked during school hours, denying entry by outsiders? You could also install alarms that detect the sound of breaking glass. Any intruder smashing his way into the school through one of these doors would set off the alarm, the sounding of which would trigger an automatic school-wide lock-down.
You need to allow for the entry of legitimate visitors, and so you would not install such alarms at the one door through which entry is allowed. And there would be a guard at that door to direct the visitor to the office. In case of trouble, he would also have access to a button that when pressed would activate the alarms, once again calling for a lock-down.
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