Let teachers carry guns, San Juan councilman says (OC Reg)The Reg tells us that Reeve, “A San Juan Capistrano City Council member[,] is calling on local schools to increase security and suggests arming 'willing staff, teachers and/or parents.'"
So he wrote in a letter he sent to Capistrano Unified School District officials today.
The Reg quotes him as writing
"As a father of two school-age sons and as an elected official representing the good people of San Juan Capistrano, I am quite concerned regarding the health and safety of our most vulnerable members of our community, our children … Efforts must be taken to empower teachers, staff and parents to protect our children."The district has responded:
Capistrano Unified Superintendent Joseph Farley responded Wednesday[:] … "Like school districts everywhere, we're getting lots of well-intended suggestions and ideas on how to increase students' security and safety in school. While we appreciate the councilman's interest in this topic, we will not entertain any proposals to have staff members carry firearms…."Reg reporter Josh Francis notes that
Reeve has advocated for guns in the past. In 2011 he presented a resolution to the council to relax gun restrictions in San Juan and allow the open carry of unloaded weapons in city parks. The resolution failed.
At the time, Reeve taught Political Science for both Concordia University (in Irvine) and Saddleback College. Soon after Reeve’s liberal borrowings were revealed, Concordia fired him.
Meanwhile, Saddleback College seemed to take no action. In fact, however, by Fall (2012), Reeve's name no longer appeared in the Saddleback College schedule of classes. Neither does it appear in the Spring 2013 schedule. (On the other hand, Reeve still appears on Saddleback College's faculty web pages directory. I just checked. See also his still-posted SC faculty profile.)
At one point, Reeve drew much attention to himself when he bragged, at a City Council meeting, that he had named his dog “Muhammed.” Among Muslims, the dog is considered an "unclean" animal.
Many took offense to Reeve's remark. He did not apologize, instead claiming that his action of naming his dog after the Islamic prophet was intended as some sort of lesson for his children.
For more on the curious Derek Reeve saga, see HERE.
OC corruption continues: More Quiet Transfers of County Staff Trigger Questions (Voice of OC)
6 comments:
Oh dear.
Derek Reeve, the gift that keeps on giving. I think his absence from the Sdadleback teaching schedule is due in no small part, to your coverage.
Here is the letter in full.
December 20, 2012
Dear School Official:
During regular school hours at a school in San Juan Capistrano, an individual armed with a single simplistic firearm can easily walk onto campus without challenge, walk into an unlocked classroom and begin murdering dozens of children. What should the teacher do? What should teachers in neighboring classrooms do? By the time the
Sheriff’s Department arrives four minutes later, 30 innocents are already dead.
As a father of two school age sons and as an elected official representing the good people of San Juan Capistrano, I am quite concerned regarding the health and safety of our most vulnerable members of our community, our children. As we are all aware there
has been an escalation of mass shootings over the past thirty years (Despite an overall decrease in violent crime during that same period) in our nation’s schools culminating in the December 14 attack in Newtown, Connecticut. While we all share a grave concern for the safety of our children, I would appreciate your efforts and attention given to the following matters as they pertain to your school(s) in San Juan Capistrano.
Efforts must be taken to empower teachers, staff and parents to protect our children. Our society has been provided a false sense of security with schools partially
surrounded by chain link fences with unlocked gates and a one thousand foot gun free zone. It has continuously been demonstrated that neither deter the evil intent of
murdering dozens of children. It is time as adults entrusted with the lives of children, we overcome our denial.
Train faculty and staff: Work actively and in coordination with local law enforcement and security experts to educate school personnel on what to do in an active shooter situation. Conduct lockdown drills just as we conduct fire and earthquake drills so that responses become instinctive.
Arm willing staff, teachers and/or parents. Alternatively hire armed security: There exists an understandable emotional response that if we just prevent firearms from being on campus, no shootings will ever occur. This attitude is tragically naïve. Someone intent on murdering dozens of children has no fear of a sign informing him that bringing a firearm to school is a felony. Every mass shooting in recent history has occurred in a
“gun free zone.” These shooters tend to cower from armed confrontation and commit suicide as soon as they are confronted by armed resistance.
No teacher or staff member should be required to carry firearms, however many already own and are trained with their own firearms. The firearms can be easily and
safely secured in the classrooms. Furthermore, this would require no additional funding.Volunteer parents are also a viable option.
Another alternative would be to hire armed security; however this would require a funding source. Regardless security must be armed! While armed security is more costly, unarmed security is no security at all.
Secure the perimeter of campuses: These tragic events never occur in inner city schools in large part because these schools are on virtual lockdown during school hours. Develop fencing around the entire perimeter. Lock gates so they may not be opened from the outside and allow only a single access point for guests. Furthermore, lock classrooms
and ensure there is only one point of entry. These along with other actions create hard targets that are more difficult to attack. They by themselves do not prevent an attack, but they will deter a potential attack and delay an active attack until law enforcement arrives.
In conclusion, please provide information regarding efforts that have been taken to empower teachers, staff and parents to protect our children. If you need any cooperation or resources whereby I may be of assistance, please do not hesitate to ask.
Very Respectfully,
Derek Reeve, Esq.
San Juan Capistrano City Council member
Thought this would be entertaining to professors:
Sheds light on the double standard.
http://twitchy.com/2012/12/19/professors-decry-witch-hunt-rally-around-erik-loomis-in-name-of-academic-freedom/
Obviously, a well-thought out position. Need I say more. (sarcasm)
from the OC Weekly:
UPDATE, DEC. 20, 5:17 P.M.: The Capistrano Unified School District response to Reeve's second suggestion was short and sweet, with spokesman Marcus Walton explaining the school system "will not entertain any proposal to have staff persons carry firearms."
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