'We're Looking at an Overwhelming Advantage!'

'We're Looking at an Overwhelming Advantage!'  BY TIM SCHMIDT - USCCA FOUNDER

Over at Bearing Arms, Tom Knighton asked — and answered — an interesting, relevant question about potential steps we can take to help keep our children safe:  "How do you make sure you have guns in the hands of people who aren't afraid to run toward the sounds of gunfire? You do what one Florida high school did. Hire people who have done it before."  According to The Blaze, "Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto, Florida, hired [two combat veterans] to comply with state legislation requiring schools to have at least one 'safe-school' officer."  The Florida Legislature passed — and then-Florida Governor Rick Scott approved — that legislation, CS/SB 7026 (cited as the "Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act"), in March of 2018.  According to The New York Times, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act "gave schools the option of choosing between a school resource officer, who is employed by a law enforcement agency; a school safety officer, who is employed by either a law enforcement agency or by the district school board; or a school guardian, a school employee trained to stop lethal attacks."  Some called the move at Manatee School for the Arts "unnecessary." Kayla Epstein of the Washington Post called it a "particularly aggressive solution."  But Principal Bill Jones challenged that line of thinking, as reported in The Blaze:  "'We're not looking for a fair fight,' Jones said of potential active-shooter situations. 'We're looking at an overwhelming advantage.'"  Additionally, The Blaze noted, "Jones wanted combat veterans who can be trusted to react quickly and correctly under fire. 'I wouldn't hire anybody who hadn't been shot at and fired back,' Jones said. 'I need someone who has been in that situation.'"  Knighton adds, "It makes sense to be vigilant even if you're convinced such measures aren't necessary."  As far as I'm concerned, no action is "unnecessary" or "too aggressive" if it helps to keep our children safe.  Jones "said he welcomed criticism and debates about gun policy, [but] added that his foremost concern was the safety of his students," according to theWashington Post: "The purpose is, when it comes down to it, if we have to respond to a threat that comes on campus, I want to win. I don't want there to be any possibility that we don't win because we're talking about people's lives. I can't take chances."  Take Care and Stay Safe, Tim Schmidt Publisher - Concealed Carry Report USCCA Founder