“Where was security at the school? How did he ‘execute’ so many? Do we need armed guards and metal detectors always?”
He shot his way in, apparently. I’m not sure what one can do about that other than harden the school like a military installation, but I don’t think that’s what we want schools to be like.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
With all the mandates and financial burdens placed upon schools —-????
Marge
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Diane, I feel broken. Ms. Soto, the heroic teacher from Sandy Hook, was exactly my age. People in their late 20’s don’t have to consider their own mortality on a regular basis, and this has me quite shook up. I keep pondering whether I’d be as brave as she was, or if I would think of my own daughter and hide right along side the students.
A colleague and friend made an interesting observation Friday. She said that as high school teachers, we have it in the back of our minds that something like this could happen. We know the secret exits through the school and have hiding spots in our classrooms, complete with window blockers. It’s a scary concept, but we’re somewhat prepared.
Not one of my elementary school teacher friends has a plan in place for a catastrophe of this magnitude, and why should they? This is unprecedented. Since Columbine, this has been a high school/college problem. As demented as this sounds, I’m sickened that now even babies have to worry about deranged gun men in their schools.
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That school did have a new security in place. First it was reported that the principal rang him in, but now we know he shot his way in. It was also reported that the gunman’s mother was a teacher, but I am not sure if she was a sub or not. She wasn’t on staff.
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His mother was not a teacher or a sub in the school. Those reports were wrong.
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When The President visits Newtown or anywhere he has armed protection ensuring his safety. When there is a fair or parade in town armed police officers are on patrol. If a school in Afghanistan was attacked there would be US military personell protecting the children. I am all for gun control but until guns are eliminated and nobody has access protect my kids with an armed guard while they are at school! Connecticut even has a law that requires a police officer to patrol when work is performed on the roadways. Let the construction workers direct traffic and put the cops and their guns in the schools. Enough is enough!
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Certainly schools should have good security. But when that piece is done, we need to look for further solutions. Have our children in schools with armed guards is no solution either.
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