A practical solution worth implementing in our schools right now

Ultimately, what all the pundits ignore in the ongoing 'gun debate' is the root of the problem. Blaming gun safety organizations while ignoring the governmental failures and passing more restrictive legislation for the criminally deranged to ignore aren't practical solutions when we continue to witness a growing deficiency in the value of LIFE. Parents, role models, those with a voice, must reemphasize this value, both in word and deed, and begin to generationally reignite the notion, which will accomplish more than any legislator's agenda. 

In lieu of a sudden societal enlightenment towards rediscovering our moral compass however, perhaps there's a practical model out there specific to school safety, one that's actually been provided for decades, that can be implemented now, but has just never been tried or applied in our schools...

NJH: In 1974, Israel suffered the Ma'alot Massacre in which terrorists took 115 people hostage at Netiv Meir Elementary School. Twenty-two children and three others were killed and 68 injured. Israel now requires schools with 100 or more students to have a guard posted. The civilian police force handles the entire security system of all schools from kindergarten through college. The Ministry of Education funds shelters and fences, reinforces school buses, and hires and trains guards.

Guards check everyone entering, and can engage any threats. Also, all students are trained. Instead of just hiding, or freezing in times of danger, students are taught proactive ways to make the gunman's job more difficult. This includes using things found in the classroom to form a barricade around the door, taking opportune moments to get somewhere safe while the shooter can't fire due to reloading or weapon malfunctions.

The guards carry firearms to protect school personnel and students, create a sense of security, deter the ill-intentioned, and provide self-defense. The threat is dealt with almost immediately while the first responders and local police are on their way.

Gun control debates are a distraction and impractical, and criminals ignore laws anyway. Crazy people are obviously not being dealt with properly.

After 9/11 the airports were changed forever and the TSA was established. It's time that we adopt a method of protecting all our soft targets, especially our schools. Banks, courthouses, city halls, government facilities, even sports venues are already protected.

Ex-veterans, retired law enforcement people and other professionals can be hired. This civilian security force can be sworn in as Sheriff's deputies and assigned to local schools. Armed, well-trained teachers can also add to this security force.

Let's adopt the Israeli model of protecting our most vulnerable. This is a practical solution.

We protect our money, our politicians, most celebrities are ironically secure, but we can't assure our children's safety at school? We're made to pay for every social-engineered program under the sun in our schools, but we can't pay to protect the most precious assets in them? This has been nonsensical for far too many years, and there's no solution in the unending polarizations...

Appointing and/or hiring trained professionals to deter this wickedness and safeguard our most vulnerable should be the practical direction of the debate, alongside our necessity to rediscover that crucial value mentioned earlier. What should not be is the foolishness that consumes too many's senses with the collective bullhorn of misguided media.

Related links: A distracted federal bureaucracy is not the solution...but there are answers, many locally
Should America Embrace Israel's School Safety Model?