By Michael Allen, Mon, September 03, 2012
The Tuscaloosa City School System, in Alabama, is offering some controversial advice to students in case of a school shooting, reports the Daily Mail.
The ALICE [Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate] program instructs kids how to gang-tackle a gunman, reports TuscaloosaNews.com.
The four-hour training sessions also advises children to fight an armed gunman with scissors, text books, pencils and pens.
The courses teach more realistic advice such as instructing kids to look for escape routes or places to hide.
Lt. A.B. Green, school resource officer supervisor for Tuscaloose Police Department, told TuscaloosaNews.com: "What we've been teaching nationwide is everybody stopping, locking the doors and hiding where you are. Those concepts work, but they're not an absolute."
"We can train teachers and students to a certain degree. At a certain level, though, we have to train the students to use their last resource, which is to defend themselves."
'We know that these things can happen anywhere. We always hope that this won't happen in our schools, but that doesn't mean we should fail to prepare for it. If you look at the responses that the individuals had on those cases where there was no response or people decided to stop and hide, the casualties were greater in those cases."
Raquel Payne-Giles, principal at Paul W. Bryant High School, told TuscaloosaNews.com: "They did a skit where a person walked in with a toy gun and what actually happens if everyone throws things at him,. The person began to protect themselves, and it threw him off for a few minutes. That's time to run."
"If they get too close, they teach us how to restrain them. One smaller woman can't restrain a large man, but what about three or four of them? That's why the training is not about doing it by yourself. It's about attacking en masse."
I do completely agree with the schools decision on teaching teacher and students some degree of self defense . It is a good idea to educate people on how to act in a ssituation such as a lock down, and how to act as a team to stop or restrain the intruder.
ReplyDeleteI agree that students should defend themselves in this case. I am not saying run in the halls and look for the gunman and fight him but if he comes into the room your self defense is your best bet. If you dont fight back theres absolutly no chance of walking out of the room instead of fighting and possibly saving the lives of their classmates.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this schools decision to have the faculty and students defend themselves from a gunman or attacker. But, the students shouldn't have to go out and look for the gunman and attack him, because that is a danger to everyone. I think this school should continue with this program.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately in the world we live in this scenario of a gunman in a school is a possibility. I personally beleive that it is important we are able to defend ourselves against a gunman better than just locking a door. Teaching kids these methods will give them a better chance to survive in case of a gunman. Taking down a gunman or offering escape routes will help to save lives.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a good idea and that this school should continue this program. School shootings are becoming more popular and I think that a plan for this situation is completely necessary. I feel like if training was given to teachers and students that they could possibly slow down or stop a gunman. I think that Carmel should adopt a program similar to this where they train the students and teachers some self defense tactics.
ReplyDeleteI think this approach is better than just cowerring in a corner, however the power might be abused. If students turn around and use this on each other, or even on teachers then everyone is going to have a bad time. If used responsibly and to defend yourself, I think this method will prove much better because the children will be more prepared and able to defend themselves. Sitting in a corner is a much more passive option that proves futile.
ReplyDeleteI agree on teaching students and teachers to defend themselves. All schools teach students and teachers how and where to hide, but they never explain what to do if the gunman enters their room. Self defense is completely vital and teaching every student the same tactics can maximize the number of people who survive. This approach to lockdowns is much more in depth and can only benefit the schools that participate.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a very interesting concept and that it will pay off for these people in the end if this situation were to occur. These kind of programs where they put a scenario in front of you never really mention the fact that you are able to defend yourself. This program is different and innovative from the rest because it shows you that it is fine for you to try and defend yourself and others. I feel like more schools should adopt programs like this.
ReplyDeleteOur current approach to defending our school is quite weak. We basically just have to lock our ourselves into the deathly situation and hide, hoping we will not be the poor classroom that gets attacked. I give Alabama props for being proactive and being realistic. I know if a crazy person with a gun came into our business law class we would not all just stand there. We would do what we could to survive. It is basic human nature. Teaching students how to effectively & realistically protect themselves is smart.
ReplyDeletethis is maclain edwards btw ^^
DeleteI believe this to be one of the most logical choices in self defense for students. This is such because scissors and pencils are always readily available in a classroom setting. Furthermore, they are more effective and intuitive in use than any alternative weapon that a young student might fathom. This being said, I believe that this is a system that should be implented in any area with high crime and gunmen rates.
ReplyDeleteGiven the terror that was the Dark knight rises shooting, the virginia tech shooting and even columbine, it is clear that the old system just isn't good enough. While this new approach seems unorthodox and somewhat ludacris, it just might work. If there is even the idea that this might help in the situation of an armed intruder, then I am all for it. Do whatever it is that needs to be done to protect the most amount of people.
ReplyDeleteWith the utmost respect and honesty I believe that the idea of defending yourself with books, scissors, pens etc. is quite silly. On the other hand I believe that the escape route and hiding idea is valid. I would think that if man is intruding a school with a gun he is there to keep hostage for something in return or to murder people. Throwing a book at a guy with a gun will not do anything substantial besides probably making the gunman more angry. I do believe that the school should teach the students do whatever it takes to protect themselves and others in the situation, I just dont believe that if your in a situation where you are at gunpoint, throwing a book at them or stabbing them with a pen with do anything.
ReplyDeleteI think that part of the plan is to throw books and scissors at the intruder is silly. But if there is an intruder, i do not think that it is unreasonable to throw anything you can at him, just the fact that that is part of the plan is silly. I believe the system we have now is the safest because you have to remember that the intruder most likely has a weapon on him so trying to leave the classroom to escape is probably not the best idea. I am fine with the plan of escape that we have today.
ReplyDelete-Popo
While it might seem silly to be throwing books and scissors at a gunman, the school is doing the right thing by trying to teach kids to at least do something when they are in a dangerous situation. In the end, locking ourselves in the room won't stop a gunman who really wants to get in, so we must know to at least do something to save our lives.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a good idea to teach the students and teachers to learn self defense because if the system of going into a class room and begin quiet doesn't work and the bad guy get in the people need to be able to know how to defend themselves against the attacker.
ReplyDelete-Kayla Quinn
Although it sounds funny at first, I think that all schools should try and do the same thing. It's better to have some sort of self defense instead of just sitting there hopelessly if something were to ever happen. I think its great that they are trying to help their students protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the students be able to defend themselves if I gunman came to attack to school. I don't support the fact they they have a class where kids can use scissors to defend themselves. The school should go on lockdown if this were to happen
ReplyDeleteI agree, i think students need to be able to keep themselvs safe at all times. Its very necsarry to be able to keep your self and your friends out of harms way. I this also important because a gun man already came to the school once and you never know when another could come back again.
ReplyDeleteI feel that if the gunman has approached someone with intensions of shooting them then the people around should react by trying to distract the gunman to an extant. But students and teachers should not try to go out of their way to defend themselves by acting as a hero, that just gives the gunman an "excuse" to become violent.
ReplyDeleteI feel like these techniques would be useful to students around the country. It does sound funny at first, but students need to learn self defense in these kind of situations. This issue has been becoming more and more common and in schools, and we should all learn the lessons.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a great idea. Although it's very sad that our world has come to this I think we do need to teach students how to defend themselves if a gunman shows up. You can only hide for so long, once the gunman enters the room your in if you want a chance at survival you need to learn different ways to be able to defend yourself.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a great idea. Even though some one might get hurt charging at some one with a gun, it still beats hiding in a classroom acting like a hostage. Self defense is very important and is something that all students and faculty should learn. But is there is someone tat can not defend theirselvs, then they should use whatever means nessacary to protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteI think its a fantastic idea and they should not be criticized at all. They are teachings kids what it will actually be like if a shooter walks in. Its smart to prepare for the worst case scenario. I have no idea why this would be looked down upon.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great idea and people should follow in what their doing. In all honesty hiding in our classes will not do much to stop someone that has the mind set to kill so we all need to learn how to defend ourselves.
ReplyDeleteAles Colter
I think it's a good idea to teach students and faculty how to effectively defend themselves and escape in situations like this. But self defense has to be taught to be used as a last resort. But, if even needing to, this people need to know how to defend themselves and others.
ReplyDeleteI think this defense mechanism is mad swag. Definitley a tactic I would use if my school was being attacked. Only something like this would happen in the south.
ReplyDeleteThis is ridiculous. I don't think it's an awful idea to teach kids to defend themselves, but if a kid doesn't know how to throw a text book at someone, there has to be something wrong. I think this whole thing is pretty funny especially considering the cop is totally behind it.
ReplyDelete-- Joe Morris
Its unfortinate that this is becoming a reality thiese days however I believe that its important for people to be trained and willing to deffend themselves.Props to any kid that ddeffends himself and his peers.
ReplyDelete