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about outside uncertain of what is happening.

And these armed staff members would be more effective than police officers from the street, because they know the school, they know the children, they care about the children as individuals, and have some insight as to who the killers are and how they might react.

I often think back to Columbine teacher and true hero Dave Sanders. Knowing there was murder happening and too protective and courageous to hide, Sanders raced down the halls shouting warnings until he confronted the murderers. With no means to resist he was gunned down. He bled to death while the Police maintained their line around the outside of the building waiting for SWAT to arrive so it would be safe for them to enter (no police officers entered the building until long after the shooting was over and the killers had committed suicide).

I have no idea of what Dave Sanders feelings were on guns, because selfless courage and believing in firearms for self defense are two very different things. But what if he, or another teacher with courage, had been armed? What if instead of being helpless and summarily executed, he had confronted the killers and maybe stopped one or both of them? What if other teachers had been equipped to help? What if he had a radio inside the building and was able to communicate to arriving officers, as a trusted resource, exactly where the shooters were and what was happening? So they could have taken firm action instead of standing in the parking lot next to their cruisers while unarmed children were shotgunned at point blank range.

Most of the library murders happened AFTER Sanders was killed. If he, or any teacher/administrator, had been able to protect children instead of just yell warnings, how many less memorial plaques might be on the Columbine memorial wall? How many more of those children would now be young adults in their twenties instead of a sad statistic?

I love my children so much I would like someone to fight for them if their life is in danger. In fact, I don't care if that person is a police officer, teacher, custodian, the school office receptionist, or even a fellow parent. I just want to know that when my children are out of my care others have been empowered for their safety. And I am prepared to make the difficult, even offensive decisions, to help empower those adults.

From the refusal to give such a concept a fair hearing, I have come to believe that there is a sad but simple fact: anti gun groups hate guns

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