About armed guards at schools
As I have noted before I have, over my many years of life, spent about 5 (or slightly more) years in security (both armed and not) and as a deputy.
I have worked at abandoned apartment complexes, labs, court houses, construction sites, hotels (always fun....), nursing homes, and one of the last places I worked at was a school (back in 2008 iirc). I hadn't done security work since the 90's but needed a short term job while looking for something in the computer field.
On a job back in the 90's I was armed (the apt complex) and, long story short, I pulled my weapon to enter an apt where I thought someone could be in trouble (we had had one guard shot at and a body found there shortly before I started).
All alone, no backup, no cell phone I went in - stupid move - but knowing a woman's body had been found there recently and we had a lot of drug addicts sneaking in I wanted to help.
Turned out to be nothing (the wind slamming a door shut on the second floor as I drove by but my imagination got the best of me). It was a stressful incident as I had no idea who, or how many, were inside and situation.
At any rate....the school I worked at years later for a short time never had any major incidents (to be honest, I mostly reported lights left on and flat tires).
The two incidents merge when I think about - what if there were shots being fired in the school and I was armed and outside (as I was 90% of the time - outside that is)?
For one, you have no idea how many people there are. What they look like. Chances are they could be dressed as any student. There will be panic, people running, and for all you know the perp (or perps) tossed the gun and is(are) running out as well.
You will be going against a flow into a school (unless all class rooms were locked/doors closed) and if the perp got the gun in under a coat, etc they could be walking right towards you and you would not know it.
If you ever watch the police in action during these things watch the precautions they take in dealing with the situation. Keeping people together, officers watching here and there, everyone is a suspect and victim at the same time.
I made like 9/hr and traveled almost an hour to get to the school, twice a day (was only there for start and end of school). Having one person minimally trained in a school with a ton of kids and possible chaos during such an event is not the best idea.
The thought of a gun vs gun scenario may sound more safe to some but the perp is out to shoot anyone without thinking much and the person you want to stop them has to be of sharp mind and highly trained to deal with things (and notice the police send a ton of people in such cases and have a general plan).
I don't know the solution. But I do know it is not throwing people with guns into a school unless there are armed people at each classroom door and they are highly trained, well paid, have a commander on site, and excellent communications.
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