I saw two posts dealing with firearms from someone I do not know, talking about arming teachers and mass casualty incident training. In these, the original poster appears to say private citizens should not fight against an attacker.
In the mass casualty incident (MCI) post, paraphrasing here, his stance was that the only option should be running. Hiding makes you more of a target. He even used Uvalde as an example of hiding being pointless because that classroom full of children was stuck there with no avenue of escape.
According to his post, fighting is pointless, as you stand no chance, even if you have years of training in hand-to-hand combat. He even said that with his 14 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), at best, it would be a toss-up.
In his post about arming teachers, he uses the example of friendly fire incidents in the military, specifically the Army. He argues that expecting teachers to target an attacker without harming innocent people is unrealistic, given that professional soldiers can mistakenly shoot at the wrong person.
Can Arming Teachers Be Effective
In my opinion, both arguments are wrong. Just because someone does not have the training of others does not prove they cannot respond correctly and accurately to overcome violence against them.
First, we should all train to avoid violence if possible. Be situationally aware. Be vigilant. But be prepared.
However, sometimes we can’t avoid it. In that case, hiding may be the best option. Not always, but it can be. A couple of exceptions do not make it the rule.
Just because soldiers in chaotic situations can mistakenly fire upon their fellow soldiers doesn’t mean we should prevent teachers from being armed. Children are our greatest treasures. We should do whatever we can to protect them. However, if we allow teachers to carry firearms, we must ensure they receive proper training.
Teachers Should Have Firearms Training If they Want It
A LOT OF TRAINING! As much as possible, and then even more. I strenuously encourage everyone to get training in my Minnesota permit to carry courses. I don’t care if they have been shooting for decades or are brand new to firearms; we can all get better. And we should strive to get better.
It is ridiculous and callous to discourage someone from protecting themselves or someone else just because they have messed up. Everyone has the God-given right to self-defense.
We shouldn’t train to overcome any and all threats. Whether that is by avoidance, running, hiding, or fighting. We should always train to overcome.
By Jeff Mitchum
Jeff is the owner and lead instructor at Tactical Yeti Defense and Training LLC in Shakopee, MN.