All the ‘red flags’ in the world didn’t stop the Florida school shooter; a teacher’s Ruger might have

The Squire of the Stately Manor first proposed that schools allow their personnel to discreetly arm themselves several years ago. Madison school board’s former president called it the most stupid idea he has ever heard or was ever likely to hear. But he never offered an alternative.

Given the good ideas the school board has deep-sixed in the past, like the Urban League’s proposed Madison Prep charter high school, I got to think Up is Down and Left is Right on the Madison school board.

I put it to the Peanut Gallery: If you don’t like teachers carrying a concealed weapon in the halls and classrooms, how do you feel about mentally ill loners with a grudge stalking the hallways? Can you guarantee it won’t happen in your school?

Since the Policy Werkes first weighed in on the mass shooting at that Florida high school we learn that the school yearbook named the troubled kid as the Most Likely to Shoot Up the School. Well, almost. But for real:

• Cops went to the kid’s home numerous times
• Parkland High School expelled him for disciplinary reasons
• The guy posted on You Tube he was a “professional school shooter”
• His Instagram account captioned “arsenal” showed off pictures of his weaponry and dead animals
• He told Snapchat he wanted to buy a gun

The New York Times headlined its story, “Florida shooting suspect showed every Red Flag.”

• Florida social services conducted an in-home investigation
• The kid was given mental health counseling
• Citizens warned the FBI about him by name.

But liberals blame the gun!

So much for relying on government to keep us safe. So much for hoping enough government services will cure tomorrow’s mass murderer. Really, what was the FBI going to do? Send the poor bastard to Gitmo? Throw a net over the guy and haul him off to the head shop? If so, institutionalized under lock and key or out-patient? Talk to the ACLU about that one.

The usual suspects are out there banning AR-15 “assault weapons” under the mistaken assumption they are machine guns. In any event, there are something like 8.2 million of these extant in the U.S. out of over 310 million firearms. You’re gonna need a bigger magnet to scoop them all up.

One thoughtful visitor to the Stately Manor suggests hardening our school buildings with  double entry ways, bullet proof glass, airport-level metal detectors, solid metal doors to class rooms etc. Then staff up with armed guards. Fair enough, but school districts are scrapped for cash enough already without having to retrofit existing buildings, which are far more numerous than the regional airport. Or hire more personnel.

If you’re Madison, WI, you’re lucky your public high schools allow a single cop to patrol the hallways.

Blaska’s School Defenders cost less, require no additional hires, and introduce the element of randomness. If you don’t know which school staffer is armed, they are all armed.

Do you trust teachers with your children?

Require, encourage or, at least, allow school districts to accept volunteers among school personnel to carry concealed weapons on school premises.

• On a voluntary basis and minimally compensated for their effort
• Licensed to carry concealed (having passed their criminal background checks)
• Trained in an active shooter situation. (Courses need to be developed)
• Instructed that they are not expected to go John Wayne at Iwo Jima but that if confronted, they can do more than throw erasers
• Certified by the AG’s office (same as CCW)
• Registered with the AG, school district and local police but their identities remain confidential to everyone else
• Remove liability for those who have been certified as School Defenders.

We will add one more:

• Post public notices that school personnel are armed and prepared to defend students and faculty.

And yes, Keep Cops in Madison Schools!

Great minds — National Review agrees: Arm Teachers!

UPDATE: Rural school district in Colorado votes to arm teachers