Friday, August 15, 2008

Harrold, Texas

I can remember attending basketball games in Harrold when I was a youngster and my father was a school principal of a neighboring school. Most people would be surprised to find that Harrold had not been consolidated with Vernon or Electra, but it is still going strong. I was surprised to see this article on Harrold - because the Harold ISD is allowing teachers to carry handguns. I love it! Here is my favorite line:

"The naysayers think [a shooting] won't happen here," Thweatt said. "If something were to happen here, I'd much rather be calling a parent to tell them that their child is OK because we were able to protect them.

Of course it seems much easier to bring back corporal punishment and kick out students who do no want to be at school and only cause problems. Let 'em go! They can get an education later - when they're ready, but they won't keep other kids from getting an education. Discipline would go a long way in making schools safe, but carrying a concealed weapon would certainly help.

Now, why didn't I think of that? Actually,there were a couple of times while teaching that I can remember thinking, "If I had a gun right now..." No, not really. I have thought it would go a long way in protecting students from serious threat. I think back to the Amish school shootings a few year back and I just cringe. Not to mention other shootings where a killer randomly shot students and teachers. Wow, what is the world coming to? I have lots of thoughts on this subject - how about you?

By the way, I was born in another small town on Hwy 287, Chillicothe, TX. My dad was the principal of the school there. Then we moved to Kamay where he was an administrator in Valley View ISD. From there we moved to Electra which is even closer to Harrold ISD. Years later we moved to Vernon where Jesse was born, which is just up the highway from Harrold.

10 comments:

MezzoCO said...

oh hey! I've been thru Chillicothe before...on more than one occasion. (I went to school in Dallas and we always drove from Denver.)

.... said...

I figure if there is such a distance between the school district and the law inforcement, someone has to be able to protect them.....and if the district is requiring the teachers to have the proper permits, the proper training and if they require the to attend the proper crisis management classes, which they are....I suppose it would suffice to say that it is not that the teachers are just protecting themselves, they are protecting the entire student body from anyone who would try to do them harm.....and I as a spouse of a soldier who has a concealed weapons permit, who carries most of the time....feel that as long as the district continues to monitor those who have this ability, then they are doing what they feel they need to do.....

I guess as a member of the NRA I'm a firm believer in the addage of better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6....but that is just my personal opinion...

And we are residents of Texas as well.

Buck said...

I have lots of thoughts on this subject - how about you?

I alternate between mandating teachers being armed and making it optional. And like ASW, I feel there are certain conditions that would have to be met, all of them involving training and certification.

My bottom line: I don't want to see another Columbine or Virginia Tech incident, ever. If arming teachers is what it takes, then arm 'em.

Bob said...

Now that's a rare show of common sense on the part of a school board.

GUYK said...

discipline in the classroom is the reason that I didn't teach although my college training says that I am a teacher. I have a short fuse when it comes to knot heads who refuse to abide by the rules..and I knew that it would just get me in trouble in a classroom of teenagers.

My teaching experience was adult education in the USAF. I taught some knotheads alright..but they had no choice in their behavior..either my way or the highway and the highway would cost them when their commander found out about it. Did make for a pleasant teaching experience, heh.

MezzoCO said...

Okay, my thoughts on the teachers-with-guns thing. The Columbine murders happened in my home town, but it was not my high school. I was a sophmore in college when it happened, but my brother was still in HS - and we both knew people who attened Columbine. It was a profoundly horrific experience that affected our entire family, even though we were one-step removed from the direct fire, as it were. My feelings? If the teachers had been armed, or if there had been armed personnel at the school, perhaps there would not have been as many people killed. At the same time, though, it was impossible to conceive that something so tragic as to precipitate those types of security measures would ever happen. Now? I'm for it, and expect it (having armed guards, at least.)

Bag Blog said...

I agree with you all. I think a teacher who passed all the courses in carrying a concealed weapon could probably carry a gun and students would never know it. I always locked my purse in a desk or file cabinet. I can see a teacher doing this and no one being the wiser unless the gun was needed for protection. But parents are so freaked that a teacher might discipline their child with a paddle, I'm sure they would freak if they thought a teacher was carrying a gun. Funny how a parent will send there child to be taught by someone whom they do not trust.

Alison said...

Hi Lou - Always a day late and a dollar short, but here's my take on the issue.... we have a police detective at our local high school. He is on duty during the entire school day and is armed. He teaches a Criminology class and works closely with the administration when disciplinary actions have to be taken. There have been several violent occurances this past year, but he has handled each incident professionally and kept disturbances to a minimum. I don't think the armed teacher suggestion would go over very well here. Most of our faculty are of the liberal persuasion (earthy crunchy) and would rather discuss saving the planet than saving our children. I would be in favor of the proposal, if proper protocols and safety issues were put in place. My biggest fear would be someone other than the teacher gaining access to the weapon. Interesting idea though... would require a miracle to get it to pass here in this state. :(

Bag Blog said...

Fire Fox, having a police detective on campus who can teach, too, sounds great. Harrold ISD is very small and it is located on a highway that is as busy as any interstate. I don't think the Harrold is so concerned about bad students - more like they are concerned about some deranged person stopping by. This morning on the news I saw an interview with the Super of Harrold. He said that he thought that having a professional teacher(s) who was trained to carry a concealed weapon, who knew, loved and cared for students was a good thing (as opposed to other security).

I find the whole thing fascinating.

Knit and fall back in it said...

I'm thankful that I don't have school aged kids anymore. School...who would have thought that would be such a horrible place to send your kids?