Americans grieve for the tragic loss of life from this week’s Florida school shooting. Precious young lives ended in a senseless massacre perpetrated by a troubled youth. Our prayers go to the families who lost loved ones in their most difficult hour. This event calls for soul-searching by each of us. Unquestionably, public safety is the #1 priority of government. Legislatively, the solutions to keep students safe are complex and expensive and no single response insures complete safety. In SC, there are currently bills pending in the legislature to address several issues. One calls for armed Resource Law Enforcement Officers in every school. Another would require metal detectors in every school. Others have suggested arming and training volunteer teachers to carry concealed weapons and serve as the first line of defense before police arrive. (similar to assigning Federal Air Marshals to random flights in 1970 to eliminate the epidemic of airline hijackings.) Still others suggest our retired military be trained to serve in schools that don’t have Resource Officers. It is clear that one solution is not the end all; all potential solutions should be considered. We all need to work together to find practical and meaningful
House District 9 Rep. Anne Thayer
Editor’s Note: Rep. Anne Thayer’s column/statehouse update can be found in the print and online edition of The Journal on a regular basis.
