'Distract and Attack' doomed to fail
November 6, 2013
Regarding "'Distract and attack' has parents up in arms; God forbid such a thing ever happens in our schools. As someone who graduated from the Air Force Academy, took escape and evasion training, served nine years in the military, two of those in Viet Nam, it is my opinion that the school trustees, the superintendent and the principle are living in fantasy land.

I was shocked to hear what their plan is. Perhaps their hands are tied and they are not to blame. Discussions at the assemblies will do nothing to increase the safety of students and staff. We've all read the stories. Why do you suppose shooters never target a police station or a rifle range?

When the shooting starts the adrenaline will flow. The "flight or fight" response will kick in. Since staff will have nothing to fight with that leaves flight. Locking the door and hiding, hoping death will visit some other room, works until the deranged person kicks in the door.

The last resort of "distract and attack" is doomed to fail. Throw an object away from the huddled students to distract the intruder so the teacher and one or two of the bravest can attack?

This is laughable and no real plan at all. At most it will determine which three individuals will be shot first.

When that door opens they will be facing a shooter who has no fear for three reasons. First, he has likely decided his life is over. Second, he knows he is the only one with a firearm until the police arrive. Third, he knows the ridiculous plan because he can read as well as any or he was present at the assembly.

There is a tried and true way to stop a bad guy with a gun. It does not involve students distracting and attacking with books and chairs and scissors.

Such shootings were unheard of when I started school at Northside over sixty years ago.

Sadly, the world has changed. I sincerely hope effective, rational steps will be instituted as soon as possible to protect the most vulnerable, the children.