PA Superintendent Raises Eyebrows For Suggesting ROCKS To Protect Against Shooters
It Sounds Like Scotland Is In The Business Of Criminalizing Free Speech
March 23, 2018Gun-Grabbing Hogg Is P-Oed At BACKPACKS That “Infringe On His Constitutional Rights”
March 24, 2018I’m all about arming capable, willing, and competent teachers against possible shooters…
But um… this wasn’t what I meant.
“If an armed intruder attempts to gain entrance to any of our classrooms, they will face a classroom full of students armed with rocks. And they will be stoned.” https://t.co/uNqy8JBxgn
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) March 23, 2018
Dr. David Helsel, the superintendent of the Blue Mountain School District in Pennsylvania, said he’s decided to arm students with rocks to attack school shooters. pic.twitter.com/BkCQROFl2y
— Ryan Saavedra 🇺🇸 (@RealSaavedra) March 23, 2018
“Every classroom has been equipped with a 5-gallon bucket full of river stone.”
That’s … unconventional.
Listen, I’m all about empowering students and teachers to defend themselves… but what is that saying… “Don’t bring a knife rocks to a gun fight?”
Yeeeeeah. Anyway… as expected, Twitter has something to say about it:
— Heather (@hrenee80) March 23, 2018
I’m not sure they’re the only ones “stoned!”
— Brooks Bryan (@jujutsucop) March 24, 2018
not an @TheOnion headline https://t.co/Q4WYqxa8gO
— Cheddar (@cheddar) March 23, 2018
Ah, what’s the old saying..? “Only a good guy with a bucket of river rocks…” https://t.co/r6O6sRyZLR
— Eric Walkuski (@ericwalkuski) March 23, 2018
I think this might be my favorite reply of all:
— I’mUglierInRealLife (@Devineatsout) March 24, 2018
It is important to note, however, that the superintendent says his comments were taken out of context:
What is only a part of Blue Mountain’s plan to deal with an intruder is being mistaken for the whole.
Blue Mountain School District Superintendent David Helsel said he has been answering a lot of phone calls Friday about his recent comments on arming students with rocks.
“These comments are taken completely out of context,” he said Friday afternoon.
Helsel spoke before a House Education Committee School Safety Hearing on March 15 in Harrisburg at which he was taking about an overall safety plan.
The comprehensive plan addresses decision making during an attack, evacuation procedures, barricading classrooms and, solely as a last resort should an assailant gain entry to a barricaded classroom, having a supply of rocks on hand for the students to not go down without a fight.
“We don’t want our kids to sit there and be passive targets,” Helsel said Friday.
However, the “first response is to evacuate” if possible, he emphasized.
Helsel said some of the students even helped to put the stones in the buckets, which are stored in the classrooms for use.
He said the use of the river stones is “one more step to make them feel safer.”
Thoughts?
