My friend Laura Carno helped bring the FASTER program to Colorado in an effort to protect students there. Kelsey Harkness of The Daily Signal traveled to Colorado to find out more about their program. She produced a video of what she found out with interviews with Laura, a SWAT commander, and a charter school founder. I think it is a great overview of what they are doing in Colorado to protect students where school boards will allow it.
The North Carolina General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Emergency Management Oversight will be meeting on Thursday, March 15th, to discuss school security issues. It is essential that they hear from those of us who have real and actionable suggestions and not merely those with ineffective, looks good on paper, feel good schemes.
I sent my message to the Republicans on the committee and I hope you will as well.
From GRNC:
HELP DEVELOP NC’s
SCHOOL SAFETY PLANThursday, state legislators are hearing arguments that will inform life-and-death decisions regarding school security. Please be there …
This Meeting Needs Your Voice
At the state legislature, there are two committee meetings in March which revolve around school security. The first is this Thursday (March 15), the Joint Committee on Emergency Management Oversight. There will likely be opportunities for public comments, and it is critical that this not be a one-sided discussion. We all know that the anti-gun-rights crowd will have people there to demand policies that will only make things worse. Due to the deadly serious nature of this topic, ineffective, feel-good schemes cannot be allowed to take hold. Please make every effort to attend these meetings. Below, find details on the upcoming meetings.Gun-free Zones: the Psychotic-Killer Loophole
The most effective way to reduce mass public shootings is for our elected officials to wise up and eliminate dangerous gun-free zones (GFZs). Documented evidence tells us that criminals and psychotics carefully choose GFZs to commit their heinous acts, because they know they will not be met with timely armed resistance.All but two of U.S. mass shootings since 1950
have occurred in so-called
“gun-free” zones.
That’s 98%!Along with improved security provisions, such as fewer unlocked entrances and generally beefed up security, the most effective way to protect school children is to proclaim that any attack will likely be met with rapid armed resistance from an unpredictable source; that source would be teachers and other school personnel.Remove the Shackles
Let’s demand that legislators close the psychotic-killer loophole!
Of course, teachers who do not want to carry defensive weapons should not be required to. However, the shackles must be removed from those willing to mount effective resistance if the worst should occur. Some seem very concerned about teachers using weapons during a dire emergency. But consider the alterative: bullets flying in only one direction and resulting in the deaths of many innocent and helpless people. Any objection to evening those odds seems entirely unreasonable.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
- EMAIL THE REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS: CLICK HERE to generate an email message. After you click, check your email program. An email should have been generated for you. Simply add you name to the bottom and hit ‘send.’
If an email was not generated automatically, or wasn’t generated properly, send the email using the copy/paste email list and the copy/paste text provided below, under ‘Deliver This Message.’- ATTEND THE JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING: It’s critical that the public be involved in these meetings, especially because it’s the safety of the citizenry’s own children that is being debated. Practical and effective solutions from concerned citizens like you must be discussed, and ought to dominate the conversation. But without you there to speak, or at least to support the speakers by your presence, that may not happen. Please attend. Find the meeting details below.
- SAVE THE DATE TO ATTEND A SECOND COMMITTEE MEETING: The ‘House Select Committee on School Safety’ will be meeting on Wednesday, March 21, at 9:00 AM to discuss the same issues. Please mark your calendar and watch for an upcoming GRNC reminder about that meeting. This meeting will also be in the Legislative Office Building, Rm. 643. Please plan to attend.
MEETING DETAILS:
WHAT: Joint Committee on Emergency Management Oversight Meeting WHEN: Thursday, March 15, 9:00 AM (arrive an hour early if possible) WHERE:
300 N. Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC
(directions: https://www.ncleg.net/help/directions.html)NOTES: Dress for the press. Please dress professionally with no inflammatory slogans or the like on clothing. Arrive early. To deal with any parking issues, and to make sure you get a seat. Arriving at least one hour early is recommended.
DELIVER THIS MESSAGECopy/Paste email List:John.Faircloth@ncleg.net; Ron.Rabin@ncleg.net; Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net; Brenden.Jones@ncleg.net; Michael.Speciale@ncleg.net; John.Alexander@ncleg.net; Danny.Britt@ncleg.net; Norman.Sanderson@ncleg.net; Jeff.Tarte@ncleg.net; Mike.Clampitt@ncleg.net; Larry.Pittman@ncleg.net; Jason.Saine@ncleg.net; Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.netSuggested Subject:“For School Safety: End Gun-Free Zones”Dear Committee Member:I am writing today in reference to your service on the Joint Committee on Emergency Management Oversight.
Since the recent disturbing events in Florida, all the usual gun-control voices have called for all the usual ineffective and unconstitutional schemes. None of these useless and ominous notions are acceptable, and I insist that you not lend them credence during your upcoming committee meetings. I do expect you to discuss school security concepts that are actually effective and will truly result in the protection of school children.
Removing the shackles from school employees who have concealed handgun permits would be the simplest and most effective solution. The legislature could do this almost immediately by removing the dangerous gun-free zone (GFZ) status from school buildings and grounds. Teachers and other school staff are no danger to students. If they were, we wouldn’t allow them unfettered, daily access to our children. Yet, the threat of swift armed resistance from an unpredictable source is a highly effective deterrent. This is why a full 98% of all mass public shooting since 1950 have occurred in so-called “gun-free” zones. Should the worst occur, teachers defending their students with deadly force is not such a terrible thing when you imagine the alternative. Indeed, no imagination is necessary, as recent events have shown us exactly what the alternative looks like.
A large number of teachers are already willing and ready for classroom carry. A recent Elon University Poll of North Carolina teachers (which skewed heavily Democrat) revealed that roughly 20% of teachers are open to the idea of concealed handguns in the classroom. Consider that the number of every day citizens who legally carry a gun in our state is something less than 10%. This means the number of teachers willing to consider classroom carry is at least twice the number in the general population who already carry a handgun. This is great news, and further evidence that dangerous GFZs have run their course.
Our children’s very lives are at stake. I demand that your time on the School Safety committee be used to consider and implement only practical and effective policies. I will be monitoring your actions on this matter through Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.
Respectfully,
Since the murders at Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS in Parkland, Florida, there has been a great debate going on about whether or not teachers and administrators should be armed or, at least, have that option. There are a number of states that do allow it. Moreover, there are fantastic programs like FASTER Saves Lives in Ohio and Colorado that will actually train faculty and administrators in violence response for free.
The North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction is Mark Johnson. He is a Republican from Winston-Salem who had served on the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Board of Education prior to running for this office.
Johnson posted on Twitter his position on arming North Carolina’s teachers.
There are many conversations surrounding school safety happening in our state. Below is my statement on arming teachers in NC’s public schools: pic.twitter.com/uqLd7Wbnk0— NC Sup. Mark Johnson (@MarkRJohnsonNC) February 26, 2018
As the Raleigh News and Observer points out about the tweet above, Johnson wants firearms on campus restricted to “these trained, uniformed law-enforcement professionals who courageously choose a career protecting citizens from violent threats.” If the armed Broward County Sheriff’s Department school resource officer had acted as he should have to save student lives, then perhaps I wouldn’t have so much trouble with this statement.
The real trouble I have with Johnson’s statement against arming teachers is that I suspect he is dancing to the tune of one of his largest campaign donors. On December 16, 2015, Johnson’s campaign committee received a check for $5,100 from none other than Michael Bloomberg. Ten days later, Bloomberg’s daughter Emma made an additional $100 donation to Johnson’s campaign for a total of $5,200 from the Bloomberg family. Having scanned all his financial disclosure reports, Johnson only had three or four other donors who each gave $5,100.
As I wrote back in March 2016, seeing such a significant donation from Michael Bloomberg to a candidate for a Council of State office in North Carolina made me feel wary. It didn’t make sense back then but it certainly makes sense now.
So the question for Mark Johnson is $5,200 the going rate for putting the school children of North Carolina at risk?
Florida Carry issued a call late last week for legislators to eliminate gun-free zones, to authorize teachers with a CWFL to be allowed to carry in schools, and to immediately provide funding for a FASTER program.
If you live in Florida, it’s time to hit these legislators up.
On Friday, Feb 16th, Florida Carry called for the Florida Legislature to immediately:
- Pass emergency legislation to eliminate gun-free zones for law-abiding concealed carry licensees;
- Pass
emergency legislation authorizing all teachers in public schools who
possess a CWFL to carry their licensed, concealed firearm if they so
choose, without repercussion; and- Provide
immediate funding of one million dollars in grants for county school
boards and sheriffs to implement pilot programs of the
Faculty/Administrator Safety Training and Emergency Response (FASTER) Program in the State of Florida.Today, the legislature is under attack.The candidates who came to us as Florida Gun Owners during the primaries have now become lawmakers.Those lawmakers are now being pressured in to selling us out.We have offered effective solutions to the violence of evil people. Far too many legislators are not listening…We have called for the legislature to fund FASTER,Investigate the non-response of the Broward County Sheriff’s office to a clear and present danger, to demand that the FBI account for its failure to investigate multiple reported threats, Recognize that “gun free zones” are not free of criminal violence, and Provide for the lawful defence of FL students.Contact your legislators.
larry.ahern@myfloridahouse.gov ben.albritton@myfloridahouse.gov thad.altman@myfloridahouse.gov brian.avila@myfloridahouse.gov halsey.beshears@myfloridahouse.gov michael.bileca@myfloridahouse.gov jim.boyd@myfloridahouse.gov jason.brodeur@myfloridahouse.gov daniel.burgess@myfloridahouse.gov colleen.burton@myfloridahouse.gov cord.byrd@myfloridahouse.gov matt.caldwell@myfloridahouse.gov charles.clemons@myfloridahouse.gov richard.corcoran@myfloridahouse.gov robert.cortes@myfloridahouse.gov travis.cummings@myfloridahouse.gov jose.diaz@myfloridahouse.gov manny.diaz@myfloridahouse.gov byron.donalds@myfloridahouse.gov brad.drake@myfloridahouse.gov jay.fant@myfloridahouse.gov randy.fine@myfloridahouse.gov jason.fischer@myfloridahouse.gov heather.fitzenhagen@myfloridahouse.gov julio.gonzalez@myfloridahouse.gov tom.goodson@myfloridahouse.gov erin.grall@myfloridahouse.gov james.grant@myfloridahouse.gov michael.grant@myfloridahouse.gov joe.gruters@myfloridahouse.gov bill.hager@myfloridahouse.gov gayle.harrell@myfloridahouse.gov shawn.harrison@myfloridahouse.gov blaise.ingoglia@myfloridahouse.gov clay.ingram@myfloridahouse.gov sam.killebrew@myfloridahouse.gov mike.larosa@myfloridahouse.gov chris.latvala@myfloridahouse.gov thomas.leek@myfloridahouse.gov marylynn.magar@myfloridahouse.gov amber.mariano@myfloridahouse.gov ralph.massullo@myfloridahouse.gov stan.mcclain@myfloridahouse.gov larry.metz@myfloridahouse.gov mike.miller@myfloridahouse.gov george.moraitis@myfloridahouse.gov jeanette.nunez@myfloridahouse.gov jose.oliva@myfloridahouse.gov bobby.payne@myfloridahouse.gov kathleen.peters@myfloridahouse.gov cary.pigman@myfloridahouse.gov scott.plakon@myfloridahouse.gov rene.plasencia@myfloridahouse.gov mel.ponder@myfloridahouse.gov elizabeth.porter@myfloridahouse.gov jake.raburn@myfloridahouse.gov holly.raschein@myfloridahouse.gov paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov ray.rodrigues@myfloridahouse.gov bob.rommel@myfloridahouse.gov rick.roth@myfloridahouse.gov david.santiago@myfloridahouse.gov ross.spano@myfloridahouse.gov chris.sprowls@myfloridahouse.gov cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov charlie.stone@myfloridahouse.gov jennifer.sullivan@myfloridahouse.gov jackie.toledo@myfloridahouse.gov carlos.trujillo@myfloridahouse.gov jay.trumbull@myfloridahouse.gov frank.white@myfloridahouse.gov jayer.williamson@myfloridahouse.gov yarborough.clay@myfloridahouse.gov joseph.abruzzo@myfloridahouse.gov ramon.alexander@myfloridahouse.gov bruce.antone@myfloridahouse.gov robert.asencio@myfloridahouse.gov loranne.ausley@myfloridahouse.gov lori.berman@myfloridahouse.gov kamia.brown@myfloridahouse.gov john.cortes@myfloridahouse.gov janet.cruz@myfloridahouse.gov kimberly.daniels@myfloridahouse.gov tracie.davis@myfloridahouse.gov ben.diamond@myfloridahouse.gov bobby.dubose@myfloridahouse.gov nicholas.duran@myfloridahouse.gov katie.edwards@myfloridahouse.gov joseph.geller@myfloridahouse.gov margret.good@myfloridahouse.gov roy.hardemon@myfloridahouse.gov patrick.henry@myfloridahouse.gov kristin.jacobs@myfloridahouse.gov al.jacquet@myfloridahouse.gov evan.jenne@myfloridahouse.gov shevrin.jones@myfloridahouse.gov larry.lee@myfloridahouse.gov kionne.mcghee@myfloridahouse.gov amy.mercado@myfloridahouse.gov jared.moskowitz@myfloridahouse.gov wengay.newton@myfloridahouse.gov sharon.pritchett@myfloridahouse.gov david.richardson@myfloridahouse.gov barrington.russell@myfloridahouse.gov sean.shaw@myfloridahouse.gov david.silvers@myfloridahouse.gov emily.slosberg@myfloridahouse.gov carlos.smith@myfloridahouse.gov cynthia.stafford@myfloridahouse.gov richard.stark@myfloridahouse.gov barbara.watson@myfloridahouse.gov clovis.watson@myfloridahouse.gov matt.willhite@myfloridahouse.gov patricia.williams@myfloridahouse.gov
baxley.dennis@flsenate.gov bean.aaron@flsenate.gov benacquisto.lizbeth@flsenate.gov bradley.rob@flsenate.gov brandes.jeff@flsenate.gov broxson.doug@flsenate.gov flores.anitere@flsenate.gov gainer.george@flsenate.gov galvano.bill@flsenate.gov garcia.rene@flsenate.gov grimsley.denise@flsenate.gov hukill.dorothy@flsenate.gov hutson.travis@flsenate.gov lee.tom@flsenate.gov mayfield.debbie@flsenate.gov negron.joe@flsenate.gov passidomo.kathleen@flsenate.gov perry.keith@flsenate.gov simmons.david@flsenate.gov stargel.kelli@flsenate.gov steube.greg@flsenate.gov young.dana@flsenate.gov book.lauren@flsenate.gov bracy.randolp@flsenate.gov braynon.oscar@flsenate.gov campbell.daphne@flsenate.gov clemens.jeff@flsenate.gov farmer.gary@flsenate.gov gibson.audrey@flsenate.gov montford.bill@flsenate.gov powell.bobby@flsenate.gov rader.kevin@flsenate.gov rodriguez.jose@flsenate.gov rouson.darryl@flsenate.gov simpson.wilton@flsenate.gov stewart.linda@flsenate.gov thurston.perry@flsenate.gov torres.victor@flsenate.gov
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