Off the Publisher’s Desk – 3-14-2018

 There is no easy solution!

How to protect our schools from gun violence or any other type of threat to our kids is not an easy problem to solve or come up with a program that will work and keep our schools and community safe.

I am not a supporter of arming our teachers, they have a full time job in teaching, but I would not be opposed if a teacher of other staff member took the training and then carried a gun for protection. But that is putting a lot of responsibility on their backs.

But then I also do not support the Federal Gun Free zones that punishes someone that had a hunting rifle in the trunk of their vehicle or make a sign with their hand that looks like a gun. Anyone that thinks about shooting up a school may have second thoughts if they knew that there were people at school that were armed.

Tony Evers, the current State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Democratic candidate for governor issued a statement last Wednesday saying: “More guns will increase the danger for our kids, not reduce it.” He went on to demand that “Governor Walker reject more guns in schools and invest $50 million to provide training to reduce school violence and hire both qualified school counselors and security guards.”

Evers did not elaborate on his plan, but just throwing $50 million into it is not the answer. Most of the time pushing money at some problem does not fix it. Having security guards, does that not bring guns into the school?

Governor Walker had originally favored arming teachers, but he now indicates that he is working with lawmakers on a package of school safety bills for them to take up in the spring. Walker did not give specific items on his proposal, but said it ought to be similar to measures put in place after the 9-11 attacks that increased airport security.

Back when Jim Dole was governor, he borrowed millions of dollars, mostly from the federal unemployment fund, and gave it to schools. I could never see what good those funds did at our local schools. I did not see any reduction in my property tax or any improvements at the school, so I am very cautious when someone wants to throw money at schools.

That money that Dole got from the federal government was a loan against Wisconsin businesses that had a federal unemployment number. I know my share of the interest on that loan was about $200 a year and I fretted about how much I would be billed when the principal amount of the loan was due. I was sure relieved when Governor Walker and the Republican controlled state houses found a way to repay that loan without taxing the businesss of this state.

I am not trying to change the focus of the gun issue to another problem. But since the Florida shooting, we have lost track of the drug overdose problem that plagues this nation.

Thanks for reading! ~ Carlton