To the Editor:
I am saddened that a new tragedy that has occurred in our public schools–the shooting and subsequent deaths of two high school students in Maryland. While the number of students killed was significantly fewer than those killed earlier this year in Florida, it also ranks as a tragedy. But why the difference in press coverage or outcry?
I personally believe it is the manipulation of the news by a press with a defined agenda–regardless of the issue–to expand coverage and the longevity of stories that fit the reaction they want, and to create the fallout/reaction they seek to elicit. What do I mean by this? Here in Florida the tragedy was created/worsened by ignoring/non-reporting of student aggressive behavior and anti-social behavior, and the response of local police forces which didn’t react quickly, effectively, or immediately to the threat at the scene. You respond to emergencies as trained and reinforced by the authorities in an organization–pretty obvious that this was missing. Even though the sheriff has said he is doing a wonderful job–how wonderful a job have you done if the officers serving under you do not respond in a manner the public requires?
In Maryland the armed resource officer went directly to the scene as trained and confronted the armed aggressor. The action was immediate and the carnage stopped as quickly as possible. No praise in the major press for this officer or the training that made him do his job. No plaudits to his chain of command for the procedures put in place and reinforced.
There is another issue, no mention of the laws that should be enacted to prevent/stop school violence. Why? Because Maryland has already some of the most restrictive laws in the country. None of them would have helped. A good summary of the issue was written by Tim Schmidt founder of the USCCA. He wrote:
“What DIDN’T stop Austin Wyatt Rollins, (the Maryland shooter):
-Maryland’s “assault weapons” ban
-Maryland’s 10-round magazine limit
-Maryland’s universal background check requirement
-Maryland’s law requiring an exhaustive application process to obtain a permit to purchase a handgun
-Maryland’s law prohibiting purchase of more than one firearm per month
-Maryland’s law requiring handgun registration
-Maryland’s law requiring licensing of handgun owners
-Maryland’s extremely limited approval of concealed carry permits
-Maryland’s refusal to honor any concealed carry permit from another state
-Federal law prohibiting handgun purchases for people under 21
-Laws against carrying without a permit
-Gun-free zone laws
-Laws against discharging a firearm in public
-Laws against attempted murder
What DID stop Austin Wyatt Rollins:
-An armed person at the scene who engaged the shooter in less than a minute”
Time and again it has been shown that the quickest way to end armed aggressive behavior is to deal with it quickly and head on. School Boards and local police senior officials bear much of the responsibility when they don’t identify and deal with violent and aggressive behavior of students, and the warning signs that usually precede those actions. If those public employees don’t support having adequate protection and trained personnel in schools for those children under their care, they should be rejected by the voters, and others with more vision elected, those who will take these matters seriously.
Tom Wright
Village of Gilchrist