During the World War we secured our assets with armed guards. The private police force at Bethlehem Steel outnumbered the City's police force. Last week, Wayne LaPierce, vice president of the NRA, outraged some liberal elements when he suggested policeman for our schools. The president of the Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, responded: Schools must be safe sanctuaries, not armed fortresses. Anyone who would suggest otherwise doesn’t understand that our public schools must first and foremost be places where teachers can safely educate and nurture our students. An unintended consequence of this debate was the frenzy it created at gun stores across America. Although the figures have not yet been compiled, it may have resulted in the sale of an additional 30 million firearms, especially those of high capacity. Weingarten must consider that even if the sale of firearms were banned tomorrow, there will still be over 200 million guns in the United States. I believe that a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines does not infringe upon the Second Amendment. However, whatever changes are implemented in regard to the sale of firearms, it will take decades to affect the volume of weapons currently in private hands. In the meantime, I don't think that a friendly policeman at a school is a bad role model. We must guard our assets.
reprinted from December 2012
ADDENDUM FEBRUARY 9, 2024:School security, including police, is now a fact of life in many cities, including Allentown. While student discipline is an ongoing problem, recently the district accused and dismissed a principal for overreacting. While I'm uninformed about specifics, being a school employee is apparently increasingly difficult, at least under this administration and board.
MM - In the original post, I believe you meant Wayne LaPierre, not LaPierce. It’s a minor correction, but I know you like to be accurate.
ReplyDeleteMore to the point of your post, I happened to be driving through 17th and Hamilton when both Raub and William Allen were dismissing yesterday. It was a free for all, with students walking out in front of cars when the pedestrian signal told them to wait. Several almost got hit, were it not for quick reactions from the drivers.
I don’t think this was anything out of the ordinary, and (while it occurred outside the school) is an indication of what goes on inside our schools. I suspect that students have little to no self-control there (inside the buildings) either.
I’m sure there are many reasons for this, from family life to a lack of enforcement of any standards in the schools.
Until our state legislators pass laws holding parents accountable for student behavior in school and allow for the quick expulsion of problem students, no amount of police officers will solve the problems in our public schools.
Instead of focusing on guns, legislators should focus on student and parental responsibility. For those who don’t want to toe the line, the free ride I should be over.
OK, I'll bite!!! As far as guns go, I think everyone should be armed!!! Let's return to the days of the wild west and you'll see an new era of respect, or you get your rear end shot off... meaning most people would think twice, maybe three times before they stepped out of line... just my $.02.
ReplyDeleteYes, the school kids are way out of control and think they own the streets... after all, they're taught THEY have the right of way as in Kommiefornia... I lived there... what a joke!!!
Maybe a few need to be flattened to learn???
As my Grandfather would say, "get out the road", and, "if you see something bigger than you... give way"... Of course, if you take the time to read the laws pedestrians are required to follow, it's just a tad more complex than "pedestrians have the right of way"... they also have responsibilities... something kids now know nothing about!!!
SO, how about a turn around??? If the parents can be held responsible for their progeny, why not hold the teachers responsible for what they teach or fail to teach the same said progeny??? After all, turn around is always fair play!!
I try to avoid that area of Allentown, like the plague, at dismissal time. The sad part is, in the future… these might be the clowns that will be administering our pills and our drugs when we’re sitting in the nursing home.
ReplyDeleteNow there’s something to think about!!!!!
Hey Michael,
ReplyDeleteI remember back in the day, when attending South Mountain Junior High School. If you got out of line, acted up, ran down the hallways, forgot your gym clothes or mouthed off to a teacher.
You got the BOARD OF EDUCATION!!!!
Which in reality was a 3-1/2 to 4 foot long x 5” wide, hickory wood paddle painted in the school colors.
Many a BEHIND made contact with that board!!! Mine being one of them!!
Was not unusual to see Mr. Smith, the boys gym teacher or Mr. Heil the print shop teacher walking around, with the board resting on their shoulder(like a rifle). Let’s see an Allentown School District teacher do that today!
AAAHH The Good Old Days!!