In 1962 I entered, as a kindergartener, St. Catherine of Sienna School in Pagedale. A towering three story brick fortress from the late 1920’s, St. Catherine’s took fire drills very seriously. Each floor had both early grades (K thru 4) and older grades. When the fire alarm went off the younger kids went into the hall, taking the hand of an older student. Speed mattered, with the principal and fire chief only happy if the few hundred kids were all outside in around 90 seconds.
I later learned the emphasis on practice and speed came as a result of the Our Lady of Angels school fire in Chicago. On December 1, 1958, a few minutes before dismissal, 92 students and three nuns died in a building similar to St. Catherine’s.
I suspect that the schools built after that – mostly one-story, spread out over a lot of real estate – developed that look in part to avoid future fire tragedies.
Alas, society always runs one tragedy behind. Schools less susceptible to fire show vulnerability to this century’s menace, school shootings.
What to do?
On Wednesday the scary Lieutenant Governor of Texas repeated something he’s been suggesting since 2018: turn schools into fortresses with just one door. Besides the fire issue (one door never meets code), security experts explain that one door makes a bad situation worse.
“You can’t have one exit and entrance for 1,400 people,” Arnette F. Heintze, chief executive of Hillard Heinze security said. “Then you create a killing field for someone.” [ Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said fewer doors could mean fewer school shootings. Here’s what experts think. | The Texas Tribune]
The Texas Governor claimed the answer started with more mental health services.
Unfortunately, the first manifestation of extreme mental illness by most school shooters is when they start killing kids. Plus, Texas – like Missouri – has woefully inadequate state-supported mental health services. A friend in law enforcement tells of driving a prisoner who knew he needed – and wanted – psychiatric help from southeast Missouri almost to Nebraska (with stops in between) searching for a state place which would accept him. None did.
An 18 year old seeking help the first time might not get it.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley had an answer: more prosecution and stricter sentences for school shooters.
I guess he forgot that most school shooters die during the commission of their crime. Fear of more jail time probably won’t phase them.
Still, even though more Columbines and Sandy Hooks and Parklands and Robb Elementaries await us we need to try to end this plague.
Republicans almost universally promise gun control won’t happen. At the NRA Convention this weekend in Houston the twice-impeached former president will undoubtedly promise to make guns easier to get.
How about this: in a disturbing trend, some mass shooters buy high grade body armor to give themselves more time to kill.
If we can’t regulate assault weapons, can we at least limit the sale of body armor to law enforcement and those with job-related risk?
I know, at best limiting body armor results in fewer dead at the tragedy. Harm reduction isn’t as good as threat elimination. But, it’s something.
Note that after Chicago school fires declined. Schools still hold fire drills. Being behind shouldn’t mean stepping out of the game.
Glenn Koenen
Image Source Everytown for Gun Safety
To learn more about efforts to curb gun violence in America, see Moms Demand Action.