The Emporia School Board is currently discussing a proposal that would allow armed security guards at Emporia High School. Do we really need men with guns in our high school? I don’t think so. As I see both sides of the situation, now is not the time to arm the guards.

If more training was offered to faculty and staff on what to look for in students who might have problems, wouldn’t that prevent a potential tragedy without the need for guns? The biggest concern for me is a security guard who may overreact to a situation with his gun first. Innocent students may be injured or killed by an under-trained guard by mistake.

Wouldn’t it be better to spend money on programs for the students and faculty – programs that could teach them about the signs of what to look for in their fellow students with potentially dangerous inclinations, programs that could teach them how to react in terrorist situations? These are lessons that all students could carry with them throughout their life. It could be part of their education, a learning experience they need in order to function in today’s society.

I hate to believe our society has become so violent that we have to train children in how to survive a gunman’s attack, but it seems almost necessary at times. Perhaps through this education, one of them may figure out a way to stop or turn this unthinkable violence in today’s society around.

We are not immune from these questions. Universities are equally vulnerable to a school shooting. But for now, why doesn’t the school district look at different options before arming guards?

The district should work more closely with the local authorities on response time in case a situation does occur in our high school. The district could also consult with larger school districts without armed guards on how they deal with these questions in their area. It may even be a good idea to consult with a district that has experienced one of these unthinkable acts to see what they have learned and how they protected themselves.

Explore all the options before arming the guards in our schools.