Editor:
OK, time to stop the knee-jerk reactions. Want to do something to really protect our kids? I have two suggestions. Both stand a good chance of actually reducing the danger of more school shootings. First, we need armed security guards at every school. Arming teachers is not practical. They need to concentrate on getting the kids to safety, although providing them with pepper spray could be a good idea.
Second, we need to have more counselors at schools to deal with students' mental stress. School is stressful for a variety of reasons. Counselors can help alleviate that stress.
How do we pay for this? We could reduce the athletics budget. They can play games closer to home. That would save fuel and other travel expenses. How about a school safety tax? Parents pay 25 cents per day per student, collected at the beginning of the school year. That is less than a cup of coffee or a soda. Isn't your kid's life worth that? Or, maybe even a 5-cent tax on a box of ammunition? I am sure most gun owners would consider this to be a worthy cause.
These two ideas working together stand a chance of keeping our kids safer at school. Banning firearms will not!
Dale Foote
Cortez