Sen. Barbara Boxer has suggested that the National Guard be used for school security. If the NDAA is a slippery slope, this is a cliff.
The Posse Comitatus Act, designed to keep our military from performing a policing function, states as follows:
"Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
In layman's terms, that means anyone could be fined or imprisoned for using the military as a policing force. Sen. Barbara Boxer, in an overreaction to last week's tragedy in Connecticut, suggested using National Guard troops as extra security in America's schools. If this plan were to go into action the implications could be dangerous. From the time our children were five years old to the day they graduated high school, our children would be mentally prepared for the military on ever street corner. Just like walking through the body scanners at TSA checkpoints, our children would be so used to giving up their liberties they may never even blink at giving them up again…and again…and again.
Do we really want that?
As a retiree and 20 year veteran of the Army Military Police corps, I'd have to say that such an action would be catastrophic, from a number of angles. I don't necessarily believe that being around Soldiers 24/7 would 'indoctrinate' the kids, but I know how the Army works, and I have a pretty good idea of what kind of troops would receive this mission. It almost certainly wouldn't be 'elite' units doing this kind of duty (at least, not at your average public school);it would almost certainly be a company of your average 'Joe Grunt' infantrymen, MPs, assorted support personnel, whoever they could spare in the area and spin up for the mission. In other words, most of the Soldiers performing actual security duties are likely to be kids themselves, anywhere from 18-25 years old, and given that this is the National Guard, most of those Soldiers will probably have graduated from whichever school they're assigned to protect. Obviously that has some positive factors, but a lot of negatives as well. In my experience, most Soldiers are still kids until well into their mid 20's (like most people, I suppose), and setting loose a bunch of 20-something kids in their old highschools where there are probably still younger kids attending that they knew before they enlisted is probably a mix ripe for chaos if not actual disaster. I'd worry far more about rising teen pregnancies (old girlfriends) and fist fights (most Soldiers aren't stupid enough to shoot a civilian, especially a minor, without extreme pressure) with old rivals and bullies than the actual militarization of the highschool kids, though that could be a concern as well. I doubt that it would be forced on them, but seeing their old buddies patrolling the halls with loaded M4s would likely make the lifestyle look more attractive to them, I'd think.
Commen How about the great TSA? they would do a great job …. NOT not a serious comment …. the idea is to have armed citizens working at the school , maybe the principal and some teachers.. schools could rate themselves as protected by a rating system… . as soon as we get agencies or militias put in schools we are in trouble. the guns could be locked up in several parts of the school accessible by the teachers that know how to use them.if each school could have a few gun owners as faculty that would go a long way. iM sure a plan for each school could be developed .
NO Uniforms-Environment must stay as natural as possible-NO Uniforms.
All community volunteers with conceal carry permits (CCP) on the inside.
All community volunteers, CCP optional, on the outside.
Anyone w/out CCP can be the eyes and ears, warning CCP volunteers and phoning local police of approaching threat.
Volunteers with children enrolled in the school will be given first consideration.
If the proper outside watch is installed no incident should ever make it to the interior of a school.
Background checks on volunteers to include domestic abuse, child abuse, child molestation, etc.
This is all in addition to permitting teachers to CC in school.
Perhaps wall mounted lock boxes can be used once the teacher enters class or locked closets so as the gun is not left in unattended pocketbooks or desk draws.
I do not think this will affect reaction time as outside volunteers should we able to forewarn well in advance.
Feel free to add, correct, and or point out any holes in this plan as this is not my specialty; just my opinion of the direction to go.
Any criticism that benefits the kids and the constitution is more than welcome.