8A Solving the Problem

Solving the Problem

 After discussing the current opportunity with other individuals, I believe the solution would be a multi-faceted approach. A couple of the proposed whys would cause excessive side effects to many individuals lives that don’t bear any responsibility for the problem, so my solution would be specifically focused at the school’s property and the students and the teachers.

 While I am not a psychologist or security expert, I put together some vague ideas to address the problem. If I were in the position to propose and implement the program I would consult experts and design the plan around their input and recommendations. Each location is different, so I wouldn’t want to do just a one size fits all. I would retain a security expert to advise on each school project.  

My solution would include several items. It would be based around a service that implemented security into each school. I would start with private schools and then focus on getting the government contracts once the difference became obvious to the public-school parents.

 Some of the proposals would be around shorter-term solutions and some would be longer term solutions.

Education for parents. The education would be part of school rules and would go into parent’s obligations to properly secure weapons and ammo in their household.  

Legislation. I would push for legislation that would evaluate a parent’s responsibility in the act of a crime involving a weapon owned by the parent and propose penalties for negligence.

Education for students. Give students a tool (an app or phone number) to anonymously report behavior that is violent or inappropriate to authorities to identify threats or crimes.

 Counseling and education for students. At a young age, students could have a class based around communication and behavior.

Teachers education. Teachers would be educated to identify communication issues such as isolationism and other issues and could refer concerns to counselors.  

Counselors could meet with identified students to see if there is some direction they can give to help a student have a better academic experience or to possibly identify mental illness issues.

The next and most important short-term objective would be the physical location. 

Each school would have a fence as most do with one entrance in to the property. Each school would have camera systems as some currently do to have more eyes observing the property.

I would hire volunteers to assist SRO’s for security at the school. I would consider arming them with Tasers and they would be fully vetted, and background checked. Retirees love to give back and be involved.

Schools would be laid out so that there was a double entrance in to the school. One where you came in to the building that would have metal detectors and then a second entrance in to the school where visitors would be buzzed through. In the morning your security would be focused on the flow of students entering the location.

To pay for this program private schools could pass on the expense to the parents. For the public schools I would target the transportation costs of the school system. I would encourage parents to drive their children or use a service to bring children to school each day. (This service would be a second opportunity for a private bussing service for school possibly funded by advertisements for businesses supporting the community.