Within a few minutes

…a madman shot and killed 26 innocent children and school staff at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown Connecticut on December 14, 2012. Ironically the same day, a madman in China attacked 22 students with a knife at Chenpeng Village Primary School indicating any weapon can be used. Reports show the violence inflicted upon our schools has been increasing. On June 10, 2014 a school shooting occurred at Reynolds High School in Troutdale Oregon, killing a student and injuring a teacher. On October 1, 2015 8 students and 1 professor was killed at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg Oregon. Most recently, on February 14, 2018, 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida were shot and killed. Schools can be targeted because of easy accessibility, unarmed and defenseless children and staff, and lack of adequate security and law enforcement presence. Schools can be specifically chosen because of the ability to inflict mass casualties. Terrorists, both local and abroad, know that schools are soft targets. It is time for change.

Schools can be targeted because of easy accessibility, unarmed and defenseless children and staff, and lack of adequate security and law enforcement presence. Also, schools can be chosen because of the ability to inflict mass casualties. Terrorists, both local and abroad, know that schools are soft targets. It is time to change.

The goal of this proposal is to develop a “balanced” three-legged approach to reduce violence inflicted upon our schools. Although it is not possible to prevent or predict all attempts of violence, it is possible to develop a comprehensive Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement model to deter schools from being the target, reduce the easy accessibility, and increase protection of innocent children and school staff. The three-legged stool can only stand in balance if Prevention, Treatment, and Enforcement are working together…one approach alone will not work.

Reports show many agree that improving background checks to keep guns out of the wrong hands is needed, as is stricter enforcement for those who commit gun crimes. Every law enforcement official spoken with, in collaboration with this proposal, has said that even the most well-intentional gun restriction or banning efforts will only work on law-abiding citizens. Criminals or mentally disturbed individuals are the people who are committing these horrific acts, and they do not follow laws. Reports show they often acquire guns illegally or steal them to commit their crime. We ask what gun control laws will keep criminals or mentally disturbed individuals from acquiring guns illegally or stealing them to use on our innocents, yet there is no answer.

While people continue to debate over guns, children and school staff remain unprotected. Children, parents, teachers and school staff are expressing they feel uncomfortable due to the lack of security measures that could better protect them from harm in school. The focus should be on how to protect children and school staff.

Concerned parents have a simple question, “If an intruder gets into the school how will the children and school staff be protected?” An answer to that question is needed.  Many schools are a significant distance away from law enforcement. Therefore, “hide and wait for law enforcement to get there” is no longer an acceptable answer. “The odds of it happening here” is also not an acceptable answer.

Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement working together are imperative to reducing and deterring the violence. If an intruder gets into a school, it would be past the point of prevention and treatment, but it would not be past the point for enforcement. There are over 28,000 schools in America that have armed law enforcement protection on site. Why not all schools?

The School Safety Proposal is a proactive, comprehensive plan that can work for each school to prevent, treat, and protect children and staff. Please read the School Safety Proposal and add your name if you support it. To add your name click here.