I have not come to a final decision for myself on this issue, so please don't get riled up over this subject; however, I would like to convey some of my concerns about NOT allowing concealed carry in the schools.
Let me first relate a story that is relative to this subject. In September '05, a boy was molested at a Lincoln grade school. The community was in an uproar, as they should be, and demanded that LPS increase their security measures. What was the LPS solution? They have placed an individual (not LEO, private security company, or anything else close to a trained professional) at the sole accessible door for the school. Before you can enter, you must speak with this person. My kids are in middle school, and I have had occasion when I needed to go to their school. Here is where it gets ridiculous. I walk in and the young man asks my name which I gladly provide, but he never asks for an ID. I guess I could have said Mickey Mouse and he would have been happy. I volunteer my purpose for being at the school, but I'm not sure if that is even something they would normally ask. After this, they tell me to go about my stated business. So now I have access to the school and if I DID have intent to do harm, it would be at my discretion. All they would have on record is the name I chose to provide and the memory of the security personnel to describe me. Is it just me, or does this seem like good intent but completely worthless execution?
Now here is how it relates to firearms. Let's say we have a loon who wants to come into a public school and get on the front page of the newspaper after he is dead. If our current system can't even properly log a name so we can catch the miscreant AFTER the crime, then how do they stop someone with a gun? I would absolutely love for the Lincoln schools to be as sterile and safe as possible, but unless we put up metal detectors and have everyone empty their pockets, then I don't know what benefit there is from restricting concealed carry in a school.
That's my take on it. What do you fine folks think?
Fly