Teaching Kids to Fight Back at School

[skycop]

There has been some buzz in the news regarding teaching kids and students at school to fight back in the event of a school attack. I am not sure what exactly this would entail, but I would love to hear what the forum thinks about this.

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

There has been some buzz in the news regarding teaching kids and students at school to fight back in the event of a school attack. I am not sure what exactly this would entail, but I would love to hear what the forum thinks about this.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,464848,00.html

Controversy Erupts Over School Proposal to Teach Kids to Fight Back Against Gunmen
Wednesday, December 10, 2008



ADVERTISEMENTA proposal to teach children as young as 10 years old to fight back against a classroom gunman is causing quite a stir in a small town in Massachusetts.

The Georgetown Public Schools in Georgetown, Mass., are considering a proposal to teach kids to fend off a gunman with backpacks or textbooks as part of a proposal to revamp their "Code Blue" safety policy.

Those who support the idea say it may seem extreme, but it could save a child's life.

Georgetown Police Chief James E. Mulligan told FOXNews.com the proposed technique was intended to be a "last ditch" thing to be used in cases where a gunman has been able to thwart police and get inside a classroom alone with students.

But others think the last thing you want to teach young kids is how to fight off an intruder with a gun.

"To put that expectation on young, emotional, scared, frightened children is really a slippery slope," says Kenneth Trump, the president of National School Safety and Security Services. "It has a high risk and higher probability of escalating a situation than it would to neutralize the situation."

The controversy began when the district's school resource officer, Derek Jones, proposed the training in a memo after hearing it had been used in schools in Florida.

"[He] was starting the conversation with us to say, well, ‘Do we want the kids to sit there and literally have the gunman be able to shoot them one at a time? Or do we want to allow instincts to kick in and basically allow them to protect themselves against the threat?'" Carol Jacobs, the district superintendent, told FOXNews.com.

"It might include using a book or hiding behind a backpack or something, some kind of shield."

Jacobs said the proposal to teach kids in fifth grade and up how to ward off armed attackers in a worst-case scenario created some concern among administrators.

"We had immediate discomfort with all of this because it’s not the way we’ve thought about it in the past, and also, we worry a little bit more about the liability of all of this," she said.

Jones' memo was intended only for school officials updating the school safety policy in Georgetown, a coastal community north of Boston, but it was leaked to the media before the district's safety committee could even discuss it, leading to concern among parents.

"A lot of kids come from unsafe places at home, and school is their only haven, you know, and for them to come into school and have to think about that stuff I think can be scary," parent Hope Carter told MyFOXBoston.com.

Barbie Linares, who has three children in the district, including a 10-year-old, said she has confidence in how the school administration deals with proposals.

"If it was going to be implemented, I would hope that it would be implemented in, say, fifth grade and above, or middle school and above," she told FOXNews.com. "I do think that it would be better off with the older kids."

Trump said it makes more sense to train school staff to deal with a gunman.

"We’re asking them to make some quite serious judgments that even trained adults are challenged to make," he said. "I think that’s an unrealistic and highly risky expectation and burden to put on kids."

Current policy, Mulligan said, is on par with districts across the country, allowing police to enter a school in lockdown and engage an attacker "to minimize the harm to children and staff in the school."

Officials say the Georgetown community is safe. The only recent activity was an unfounded bomb threat six months ago that lead to a school evacuation.

The safety committee plans to discuss the Code Blue proposals on Thursday.

"The intention here is just to make sure that we are always on the cutting edge of what we need to do to keep our kids safe and obviously to learn from lessons of tragedies in other places," Jacobs said.

[LittleRedToyota]

the reality is that kids (or anyone) who find themselves in such a situation have three choices:

1. escape

2. fight back

3. wait to die

given that #1 is often not a realistic option, it seems like a no-brainer to me. those who oppose teaching kids (or anyone else) to fight back in cases where they cannot escape seem to think a 4th option will magically materialize or something...

[XD45]

the reality is that kids (or anyone) who find themselves in such a situation have three choices:

1. escape

2. fight back

3. wait to die

given that #1 is often not a realistic option, it seems like a no-brainer to me. those who oppose teaching kids (or anyone else) to fight back in cases where they cannot escape seem to think a 4th option will magically materialize or something...

That basically sums up my thoughts.



Came across this awhile back, not sure how effective it would be but could save a life I guess.. http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/bu...108-black.html

[Brown-Bear]

Personally I cannot see the logic behind NOT teaching someone to fight back. Maybe not to the extreme of Krav Maga class in kindergarten, but something needs to be done. I also would like to see added security at schools, I don't have a problem with metal detectors at the doors and controlled access points throughout the buildings. I'm not condoning searches of students bags just yet, but we could also benifit from teaching the kids to report threats and what not. SA will always be the best way to defend against these threats.

Dave W.

[andrewjs18]

the reality is that kids (or anyone) who find themselves in such a situation have three choices:

1. escape

2. fight back

3. wait to die

given that #1 is often not a realistic option, it seems like a no-brainer to me. those who oppose teaching kids (or anyone else) to fight back in cases where they cannot escape seem to think a 4th option will magically materialize or something...

I'd rather die trying than die not doing anything...IMHO.

[Pennywise]

"But others think the last thing you want to teach young kids is how to fight off an intruder with a gun."

Oh Yeah, The last thing we want is to teach our kids how to survive in a deadly situation.
Just run and hide kids, The police might get here in time to keep that lunatic from filling you full of holes. Of course if they don't get here in time at least your parents will be comforted knowing that you were a good little boy/girl and did'nt commit an act of violence on that poor troubled person.

[freedomfighter]

Perhaps they should introduce somthing worthwhile in gym class... martial arts... but oh no we cant dare teach kids how to protect themselves...

I mean i find this quite humorus.... the kids are now gona be allowed to and taught how to fight back against somone with a gun... BUTTT if the kid desides to stand up for himself and fight back with a bullie hes getting suspended and fined and a juvinile recored due to zero tolerance laws...

This is rediculas... put your kids in martial arts... I learn how to get a gun away from my face... try pulling one on me... armed or not if you are close enough to me you better be faster or i break your arm faster then you can think then ill shoot you with your own gun...

[imperialism2024]

It's real easy. Teach kids from an early age how to safely and properly use guns. Have them practice weekly (along with teachers and other staff). Then store guns in each classroom. Problem solved.

Anything else is security theater.

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Perhaps they should introduce somthing worthwhile in gym class... martial arts... but oh no we cant dare teach kids how to protect themselves...
...

That's a really good idea! Teaches balance, coordination, discipline, etc...

Any of the traditional martial arts will do....Tang Soo Do is a good one that comes to mind.


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