Active shooters in schools: The enemy is denial

PoliceOne.com ^ | May 5, 2010 | Doug Wyllie

[Washi]

“In 1998,” Grossman said, “school violence claimed what at the time was an all time record number of kids’ lives. In that year there were 35 dead and a quarter of a million serious injuries due to violence in the school. How many killed by fire that year? Zero. But we hear people say, ‘That’s the year Columbine happened, that’s an anomaly.’ Well, in 2004 we had a new all time record — 48 dead in the schools from violence. How many killed by fire that year? Zero. Let’s assign some grades. Put your teacher hat on and give out some grades. What kind of grade do you give the firefighter for keeping kids safe? An ‘A,’ right? Reluctantly, reluctantly, the cops give the firefighters an ‘A,’ right? Danged firefighters, they sleep ‘till they’re hungry and eat ‘till they’re tired. What grade do we get for keeping the kids safe from violence? Come on, what’s our grade? Needs improvement, right?”

Johnny Firefighter, A+ Student

“Why can’t we be like little Johnny Firefighter?” Grossman asked as he prowled the stage. “He’s our A+ student!”

He paused, briefly, and answered with a voice that blew through the hall like thunder, “Denial, denial, denial!”

[Washi]

The article is not formatted in a manner that would lend itself easily to cutting and pasting the entire thing here, so I've just posted an excerpt.

I recommend following the link and reading the full article.

[SSS Two]

“In 1998,” Grossman said, “school violence claimed what at the time was an all time record number of kids’ lives. In that year there were 35 dead and a quarter of a million serious injuries due to violence in the school. How many killed by fire that year? Zero. But we hear people say, ‘That’s the year Columbine happened, that’s an anomaly.’

Columbine happened in 1999. I'm always suspicious of an article that has a major factual error in the first paragraph.

[redgolum]

Col Grossman is the real deal.

He has done a lot of research on killer kids. Also on how the training the military does to desensitize soldiers carries a high mental cost.

[Marie]

The author is the problem. Not Grossman.

[imardmd1]

How many killed by fire that year? Zero.

No deaths from fire because there are plenty of fire extinguishers in schools? And students and staff are given lessons in using them?

[deweyfrank]

I wouldn't deny that Col. Grossman makes some very good points, just because you say the date is wrong.

[MtnMan101]

Israeli Solution

[Marcella]

This author is absolutely right. He knows his business.

[Glennb51]

I have had the pleasure of attending Col. Grossman’s lectures and discussing various issues with him. He is a no BS, just the facts lecturer. He knows what he is talking about. He also trains numerous US organizations in tactics, etc.

To dismiss his qualifications because of a possible typo is ridiculous/

[captnemo1]

The guy does have a point.

[RandallFlagg]

g. Armed citizens can help. Think United 93. Whatever your personal take on gun control, it is all but certain that a killer set on killing is more likely to attack a target where the citizens are unarmed, rather than one where they are likely to encounter an armed citizen response.

Bears repeating.

[Right Wing Assault]

a major factual error

I don't think missing the date by a year (or missing a typo) qualifies as a major error or need for suspicion. It does nothing to invalidate all that follows.

[Right Wing Assault]

[scrabblehack]

I never got any lessons in using a fire extinguisher until I was working.

Many fire drills, no actual fires in grades 1-12.

There were a few fires in the college dormitory (some deliberately set)

[imardmd1]

I never got any lessons in using a fire extinguisher until I was working.
Many fire drills, no actual fires in grades 1-12.
There were a few fires in the college dormitory (some deliberately set)

Well, the moral here is:

o If there's a fire set, put it out with an available fire extinguisher.
o If there is a shooter loose, disable him with an available firearm.

Access to the related extinguishing devices kind of discourages arsonists and shooters.