The terrifying increase in school shootings has opened up debates on gun control, treating mental health issues, and improving systems that prevent the unlawful purchase of firearms.
The National Rifle Association has gone a step further with safety tips to deter a potential assailant’s entry onto school grounds and prepare school employees for such incidents.
The NRA’s National School Shield program offers advice on protecting children in schools and includes proper infrastructure and training of school personnel.
The recent massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, has brought the issue once again to the forefront. However, the chances of a school shooting still remain low in the U.S.
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These seven school safety tips from the NRA could help save lives by preventing shootings or dealing with the distressing situation of a potential shooter on campus:
1. Single point of entry — The NRA’s document following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in 2012 recommends a single point of entry to a school’s grounds, The Washington Post points out.
2. Shielding buildings — Shrubs and trees should be kept away from buildings to prevent a shooter from climbing to gain entry or get onto the roof.
3. Strengthened protection — The document recommends ballistic glass for interior windows with steel plating at entry-point desks.
4. Armed school personnel — The NRA advocates for trained, armed school personnel to confront threats with a timely response. These trained authorities can offer protection while being in a position to lead people to safety and save lives.
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5. Security Assessor Training Program — The NRA’s Security Assessor Training Program is open to designated law enforcement officials with three or more years of service as public law enforcement or security officers employed by local governments or school districts. It's a "5-day course is designed to better prepare designated security officials to serve as school security assessors and assist in conducting school vulnerability assessments on behalf of their respective agency," according to its website.
6. Proactive school security plans — The National School Shield program not only focuses on active shooter incidents but also supports a proactive approach to planning. The plans must consider all types of potential threats.
7. Surveillance — Up-to-date communications systems and surveillance methods are recommended to alert the campus community and to detect and keep predators away from a school campus, respectively.
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