Do more to deter school shootings
From: Kent Peterson, Maple Lake Another school shooting. More young people dead and wounded in a place where they should feel safe from the violence of the world outside of their school walls. We are increasingly numb to the news of the random death that stalks our youth in their schools, and parents send their kids to school each day, hoping their school isn’t the next target and that every child comes back home. As the elected officials in St. Paul and Washington argue on and do battle over legislation that could help prevent mass shootings, nothing is done. Thousands of students created a movement, and we citizens overwhelmingly support action. But instead, we are left waiting again for the horrible news; more students have been shot in their school. We read and hear about legislation for background checks where guns are sold, but Congress can’t even pass that simple, common sense piece of legislation into law. But, what will background checks actually accomplish, related to school shootings? How many of the school shooters would have failed a background check? I have learned of none. School shootings aren’t carried out by people with criminal records, which would expose them in a background check and prevent them from purchasing a gun. Sadly, the violence in schools is usually by fellow students who are walking the same hallways and attending the same school events as their victims. Will searching for those in our schools and communities who have mental or emotional issues help uncover a potential school shooter? Maybe. But, determining the identity of a shooter in advance of the violence, is very difficult and in fact, almost impossible. So, what can we as parents and citizens do to help protect our students? We can take control of school security here, at home, by passing a bond issue that will specifically fund the ‘hardening” of our schools, with: ■ Restricted access to the school; close and secure all except the most critical points of entry. ■ Install electronic and personal screening for weapons, of any person entering a restricted access door while students are arriving at, attending class in and departing school property. ■ Install safety glass and security doors at any office check-in location.