From: Jonah Dement
Columbus
In the wake of the tragic shooting in Parkland, Florida, many people have been calling for increased gun control, especially restrictions on the AR-15 rifle. However, as illustrated in the shooting in Maryland, the rifle is not the issue.
On March 20, a 17 year-old young man entered Great Mills High School in Maryland armed with a handgun and began shooting. He shot two students, one fatally before simultaneously being shot by a school resource officer and taking his own life. While he was stopped from doing any further harm, he was still able to enter the school while armed. This is the issue.
Our schools are not secure in the slightest. Aside from cameras, there is little-to-no security on the premises. This is true of most schools across the country, including ours. Anyone armed with any weapon could potentially enter the school undetected and cause mayhem. By having an armed security guard at each door, with a handheld metal detector, and a guest sign-in sheet, you could prevent almost all threatening individuals from entering the school buildings, and you’d know who was coming and going.
If our schools had awareness and protection, they could prevent the threats, rather than having to deal with them after they cause harm.
