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NRA wayne lapierre ap photo
National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre gestures during a news conference in response to the Connecticut school shooting on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 in Washington. The nation's largest gun-rights lobby is calling for armed police officers to be posted in every American school to stop the next killer "waiting in the wings." (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Washington PTA director rips NRA school gun proposal

BY Jillian Raftery  on December 21, 2012 @ 2:07 pm (Updated: 4:57 pm - 12/21/12 )

The executive director of Washington State's Parent-Teacher Association says the NRA's proposal to put armed guards at every school is a bad idea.

After staying silent for a week to respect the families of the Newtown shooting victims, NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre Jr. spoke at a press conference Friday in Washington, D.C. to address ways to prevent future school shootings.

Related: NRA proposes armed guards in all schools

"When it comes to our most beloved, innocent, and vulnerable members of the American family - our children - we as a society leave them every day utterly defenseless," said LaPierre.

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," said LaPierre.

Washington State PTA executive director Bill Williams told Pat Cashman and Lisa Foster, filling in for Dori, that the NRA's strategy is the wrong way to go.

He said that a school using armed security could lead students to feel more fearful rather than feeling safer.

"For kids to be successful they have to feel safe. And if they're in an armed encampment I think they're far less likely to feel safe," said Williams.

The PTA's solution is to make sure people can't get guns.

"This is based on national PTA policy," said Williams. "We disagree very strongly. We don't want schools to become armed fortresses and we think the best way is to prevent access to firearms and make sure that only those who can appropriately handle them are, in fact, licensed to carry firearms."

Williams explained that even if they considered arming guards in schools there are problems finding well trained guards that would staff schools. Some opponents have said having armed guards would make schools more dangerous if they don't know what they're doing.

Even if schools hired armed private security guards or cities had more school resource police officers, children still might not be safe.

"I remember when banks used to have armed guards," said Williams, "and that didn't stop bank robbers so I don't know why anyone thinks that having armed guards at schools is going to be the solution to this problem."

Washington State legislators are also looking at a solution that targets access to firearms: trying to ban semi-automatic "assault-style" weapons.

King County Sheriff John Urquhart agreed with Williams, saying that pushing for armed guards too simplistic.

"I don't think you have to look farther than Lakewood. In Lakewood we had four armed police officers armed, trained that were shot and killed by one person," said the Sheriff.

But Sheriff Urquhart proposed a broader approach than just banning guns. He thinks that targeting violence as a whole in America and focusing on strengthening existing regulations will keep schools safer. For example, he says that lawmakers should look at making it harder for mentally ill people to get guns.

"Unfortunately there was this tragedy that occurred," said Urquhart, "but if anything good comes out of it, it'll be for once we'll have a good broad discussion and not try to focus in on broad gun control or putting officers in schools because neither one is the solution."

Jillian Raftery, Social Media Captain
Jillian Raftery is a social media captain for the Dori Monson Show. She loves the neighborly vibe of the Pacific Northwest and spends as much time as possible outdoors.
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Comments (74)


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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Let me see if I've got this right........
    December 21, 2012 2:54 pm
    We can't have police on campus at schools because "kids are less likely to feel safe (???)". .......Well. geeze. What happens when a police patrol car goes down your street? .. Should we never again have beat cops, because they might 'scare' someone? ..... I guess, Israel got another one wrong - they've been putting police in schools for decades.

    And the PTA solution? Magically make sure the only people who can get guns (if any) are nice people. ... Hey - somebody cue the rainbow.

    .

    By the way - the NRA did say police officers. I would assume that most WOULD know what they are doing.

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  • William Lawn wrote...
    Lately ron, assuming that they know what they are doing is kinda of a huge jump of faith
    December 21, 2012 3:00 pm
    Weren't their stories of blackouts?

    Kids getting killed with off duty carries?

    DUI's and hit and runs?

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Are you sure AJ isn't one of your trolls?
    December 21, 2012 5:41 pm
    You know as well as anyone else with a brain that cops are human like everyone else. And they make the same mistakes as everyone else. But I would wager their error rate is fat less than for the general population. (Bellevue excepted).
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    ron p
    December 21, 2012 8:30 pm
    Nope the screw up rate for PD officers is high and probably higher then the general population.I worked for a time for a major PD and saw the reports on screwups in internal affairs. The screw ups Never got into the newspapers.Officers shooting at ex wives boy friends,wife beatings (wifes would not press charges because the cop would lose his job and his pension,assaults were common (even officer on officer)
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    messiah, WERE you right, we should have no cops anywhere.
    December 22, 2012 1:14 am
    And THEN where would we be? ..... No, cops have problems (including domestic violence) but, by and large, they are far better at protecting us from the bad buys than most anyone else.

    BTW: Just how many former jobs DO you claim? Unless you are 110 years old, .........

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  • messiah101 wrote...
    ron p
    December 21, 2012 8:19 pm
    Try travelling in the Philipines where many stores like 7/11 and every bank has a uniformed guard out front with a shotgun then tell me that you feel safe?
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Guat City, circa 1968.
    December 22, 2012 1:20 am
    Armed guards on most every street corner.

    See below. The chances of another grade school attack, even in the next 10 years, is rather remote even if we do nothing. But the public does demand the APPEARANCE of safety.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HappyPappy wrote...
    What hasn't he done?
    December 23, 2012 9:48 am
    Ron ever wonder what experience or job "guys" like messiah hasn't done or experienced? Messiah you haven't all answers so be humble, admit you throw around a lot of BS so turn the computer off and to bed!
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  • Rock-the-Boat wrote...
    Does anyone remember 9-11?
    December 21, 2012 8:33 pm
    How many of the 3000+ massacred by madmen on that day were killed by any type of gun? Not one! Some were killed by razors but most were killed by a jet air plane full of fuel crashing into a building or the ground, What did we do? Ban large planes, ban large fuel capacity? No! Planes now have secured doors to the pilots! Security (TSA) is now in place before getting on planes, there is armed Security on planes, and, oh my the Pilots are even armed with weapons!!! This is madness!! Now if only on that day those 4 Jets each had one armed pilot this would have never happened! Funny how our air travel fixed the madman problem not with making smaller planes, or less fuel capacity, no they did it with better security and arming people on the planes! Which by the way also have kids on them and maybe even a few teachers. So it safe, really, no one has been shot on a plane since 9/11. But heaven forbid we put armed security in our schools, or add better security in the buildings. No the first thing out of bleeding heart liberals is to ban guns and magazine capacity! Funny how you never heard them cry to ban large planes, or large fuel capacity after 3000+ men, women, and children were massacred. Just think how many lives could be saved if we only had really small planes and only enough fuel to travel 500 miles. Would that really make you feel safer?
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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @Ron Prevost...
    December 22, 2012 8:09 am
    let's not do what you claim the other side is doing and oversimplify your own responses to people on this by making claims and comparisons that make no sense and have no bearing on the issue at hand. And no - the NRA via Wayne 'Obama's got a secret plan to destroy the 2nd amendment by 2016 and my only proof is that he's done nothing about guns during his first term' LaPierre did not say that only police officers should do this. I watched his speech. He also called out the following to fill this role: military personell, fire fighters, 'security personell', and many others. Most of whom ARE NOT trained in how to deal with police situations, nor are nearly any of them trained properly in how to shoot down a 'bad guy' in a crowd of innocents. The NRA answer is a severely simplist answer to and incredibly complex problem. An answer that raises it's own problems without truly addressing the issue. Here's just one example: ONE armed cop on an average school campus isn't enough. Columbine had an armed officer on campus. He wasn't in the right place at the right time (through no fault of his own and probably because the 'bad guy's had factored him into thier well thought out plans) and because of that, he had ZERO effect upon the outcome, so even the armed guard is NOT the magical solution that so many people think it is.
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  • William Lawn wrote...
    So who is gonna pay for this?
    December 21, 2012 3:00 pm
    An armed guard, like TSA?

    Basically fat people in a large uniform and now we'll give them a gun.

    No chance for an accident there.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    I'll repeat. ... POLICE OFFICERS.
    December 21, 2012 5:49 pm
    Not, repeat NOT, some bum off the street given a gun. .......... Geeze, Lawn. I know you know better than your post.

    In truth, horrible as Newtown was, even if we do NOTHING, we will likely not have a similar case for many years - even nation wide. ... BUT, we, as a people, demand at least the appearance of safety.

    Like your TSA who violate and otherwise harass air travelers, but do little or nothing for actual 'safety'.

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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @ron....
    December 22, 2012 8:13 am
    Do the math. somewhere around 100,000 schools in this country (K - college). add the total number of seperate campuses, seperated buildings and large campuses with many buildings. Add that kids are present in these buildings from around 7am through 9pm, 10pm or later, depending on sports, after shool activities, etc. Add that often, the school have kids there on weekends too, so you'd need 2 or possibly even 3 shifts. So the math is 100,000 schools x 3 (gut instict on average number of campuses, seperated buildings, etc) x 2 (two shifts of 'guards') = AT LEAST 600,000 full time 'armed cops'. Where you gonna find that many cops Ron?
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Marine Guy - my whole point was NOT that police at every school was feasable ---
    December 23, 2012 5:48 am
    It was that (1) this PTA spokesperson somehow feels police (or other guards) would too 'frighten' the children. So... (2) reverts back to the simplistic 'ban guns', really a non-solution given the number of guns and owners in America. ....... Urquhart really says it better in that any and all ideas should be considered.

    But to dismiss police protection on the basis that it scares kids makes absolutely no sense at all.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • PHR wrote...
    This would be a poor use of law enforcement's time.
    December 23, 2012 1:59 pm
    We need them hiding behind bushes writing Chickens%%t tickets. That and running year long sting operations on strip clubs and massage parlors.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    PHR
    December 24, 2012 9:38 pm
    TOUCHE'
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  • xplanes wrote...
    Clinton...
    December 23, 2012 6:59 pm
    Taxed us to hire 100,000 new teachers. Surely we can match that with cops. BTW, there are a lot of former MPs that are qualified. Some might even be collecting unemployment right now. I think it would be a whole lot more effective than telling me what kind of gun I can own. I'm growing tired of laws that are aimed at law abiding people to stop the behavior of people who disobey laws. It's rather stupid. Good people are hassled by the law and the ones who brake the law go on to be cabinet appointees for Democrat administrations. I mean they get a slap on the wrist and are out in 1-2.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    ex military contractors
    December 26, 2012 10:56 am
    their are plenty of people with enough training to do the job. locate a security room at the front of the building just like court houses and major office buildings. we can have millions of security people at offices and courthouses but we can't at schools, that's the arguement, really. our kids are too important to not have security at schools to protect them.
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  • logical open mind wrote...
    is it wrong for armed policemen to be at seahawk games, banks, armed security for celebrities.
    December 23, 2012 8:00 pm
    Is it wrong that airports have armed police or that Israel has armed folks everywhere. What are the lefties so upset about re protecting kids at schools with armed guards? Hell Boeing has armed security at their gates, is this wrong?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    "The PTA's solution is to make sure people can't get guns."
    December 21, 2012 4:15 pm
    Ahh, right, like this is going to happen...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HLC wrote...
    So the PTA would rather bury kids than have a few armed guards in the schools?
    December 21, 2012 5:10 pm
    Where do we find these stupid people? I totally agree with what the NRA said. That is the only way to give our kids a chance. We have enough gun laws of course we should try to enforce them. If we stopped making and selling guns today the crazies and outlaws would still get them. Urquhart should compare apples to apples. If those four officers were on patrol instead of sitting in a coffee shop at one table I'd bet the outcome would have been different. Like it or not the NRA got it right.
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  • Forrest wrote...
    Columbine had an armed deputy and it didn't prevent anything those kids from getting shot up.
    December 21, 2012 5:53 pm
    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/17/1171099/-Columbine-High-School-had-an-armed-deputy

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/21/columbine-armed-guards_n_2347096.html

    http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/336338/columbine-had-armed-guard-daniel-foster

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  • Rock-the-Boat wrote...
    Forrest did you read the artciles????
    December 21, 2012 7:55 pm
    The armed Deputy engaged the shooters...which means he was shooting at them while they were shooting at him, and not defenseless students! Then another cop showed up and they were both engaging the shooters, which kept them from shooting defenseless students! Now maybe you are slow at learning the lesson here, but many many many many, lives were SAVED!! Because there was an armed Deputy at the school. So how many lives would have been saved in Newtown if they had a armed guard there? Maybe all of them would be alive today if only they had what Columbine had. Remember Columbine had two shooters not one and they used IEDs and had a tactical plan!
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  • Forrest wrote...
    @Rock-the-Boat
    December 22, 2012 5:36 am
    The shooters went to school there. They knew there was an armed guard there. That fact did not prevent the incident from occurring. It certainly may have reduced the fatalities but it did not prevent it from happening.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @rock-the-boat....
    December 22, 2012 8:21 am
    Did YOU read the articles? The armed deputy engaged the shooters but if you actually read the details, he had no material affect upon the outcome. With most situations, if the 'armed guard' becomes the first target or is in the wrong part of the school, he has not an ounce of effect upon the results. I'm not against the idea, but I want people to be realistic - it's not the magic solution that prevents everything like soooo many people are spouting.
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  • Drool wrote...
    How Many Billions.....
    December 21, 2012 5:58 pm
    ...do we have to put armed guards at our schools? How do we fund that? Maybe a tax on firearms and ammunition?

    I presume you all remember that one person with a handgun took out four trained law enforcement personnel at a coffee shop not that long ago.

    That armed person at the school is nothing but a speedbump for a mass killer on a mission.

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  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    great "liberal-speak"
    December 23, 2012 7:16 am
    A tax will prevent Attacks. Perhaps provide an unarmed guard mounted on a unicorn patrolling the grounds?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    we spend billions on courthouse security, so why not
    December 26, 2012 11:02 am
    if the argument is cost or where to find the workers, really, so take them from the courthouses and major office towers and put them in the schools where they belong.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bikedoc wrote...
    Armed guards didn't help...
    December 21, 2012 6:09 pm
    At Columbine or Virginia Tech. Banning mentally ill people from having guns wouldn't have helped in Newtown. Making it illegal to have an assault weapon might eventually limit the use of assault weapons as they're pulled out of circulation but a semi-auto handgun with some extra clips might be just as dangerous. No way are all guns going away. So what to do? What about allowing teachers to concealed-carry? Don't publish who's carrying and who's not, don't make anyone carry who doesn't want to, make sure people who want to are well-trained. Make sure it's public knowledge that teachers might be armed. Maybe then creeps would think twice about attacking schools. It would cost very little relative to hiring guards at every school. Obviously it's a difficult problem but perhaps this could be a useful part of the solution.
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  • 2112 wrote...
    I think that is a good suggestion
    December 21, 2012 6:20 pm
    By not know which faculty is carrying, it essentially removes the school from the soft target category known as a "gun free" zone.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • doublej wrote...
    Mentally ill
    December 21, 2012 7:21 pm
    There are already laws preventing mentally ill people from LEGALLY owning firearms. Let's not forget that, this mentally ill person killed his own mother to gain access to the firearm he used. I agree what teachers should be authorized to conceal carry at school and the district should advertise that their teachers carry. It works at 2,300 districts across the country already. 2,300 districts which have never had a mass shooting.
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  • Drool wrote...
    "There are already laws preventing mentally ill people from LEGALLY owning firearms"
    December 21, 2012 7:36 pm
    But there is no certification process to say that you are sane to purchase one. All you do is sign that you are not nuts and you are good to go. How's that for a sanity filter?

    I can cherry pick 2300 districts that are gun free zones that have never had a mass shooting. That is just propaganda.

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  • Rock-the-Boat wrote...
    Just like Pilots are now be armed,
    December 21, 2012 8:04 pm
    Funny how getting 3000+ killed and not one was killed by an "assault weapon" could have been prevented by 4 armed pilots. The only way to stop a madman with a weapon, is a good guy with a weapon! It is time to let teachers be armed or hire a professional security team. If I was a teacher I would have no problem carrying my concealed weapon at school. If you can't trust teachers who can you trust?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Drool wrote...
    A Teacher Packing a Weapon....
    December 22, 2012 8:57 am
    ...is a teacher that can be disarmed.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    so Drool lets never protect kids, lets not protect people at the airports, people at banks.
    December 23, 2012 8:09 pm
    Go to central LA the stores have armed security or police at almost all stores-should the residents force the police to leave. DROOL WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION? BAN ASSAULT GUNS-SURE, BUT IF U THINK THAT THESE WEAPONS WOULD DISAPEAR U ARE NOT LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD.
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  • Hectic wrote...
    It won't work
    December 21, 2012 6:19 pm
    Not only would it cost BILLIONS, but Columbine had armed guards, and a lot of good that did.
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  • logical open mind wrote...
    I got it Hectic-do nothing. Columbine defines all security going forward.
    December 24, 2012 10:08 am
    jeez Im glab Im a libertarian with common sense rather than a left brain lib,
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Wow, Hectic shows up
    December 24, 2012 9:44 pm
    And amazes us all with a brilliant Liberal comment.... NOT! But you did give everyone a really good Christmas eve laugh. It's not too late to ask Santa Clause for a brain....
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  • soo purletiv wrote...
    Some issues have no solutions...
    December 21, 2012 6:21 pm

    We are only human. Sometimes our solutions, present more problems. And, for every solution there are more problems associated! Redundancy was not by accident!

    Unfortunately, there is no reasonable solution to this problem.

    THAT IS A FACT!

    With all the dysfunctional families today (and more brewing), expect more of these types of occasions.

    Not condoning such, just lamenting the reality of our times. Besides the fact that I am a realist and not an idealist...

    :~{

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  • londot wrote...
    Won't work!
    December 21, 2012 7:08 pm
    My brother is a Police officer and is assigned to a school district along with 2 others officers. They can’t be everyplace all the time…how many schools are in an average school district 12 elementary and maybe 5 or 6 middle schools and what 4 or 5 high schools??who would pay to add, as an example 20 to 25 more fully qualified officer to every school district!! That cost is unbelievable! Tacoma can’t afford to even pay for their fire depts and police department now! That’s not the answer, keep in mind that those 4 officers killed in lakewood were qualified and well armed but killed by a single shooter! Most of these guns have been stolen from legal owners so gun control isn’t the 100% answer either! It starts at homes and stopping these crazy one shooter games and health care …big big problem not a quick single answer. Who will certify each teacher as being mentally sound to carry a weapon as well? How many have been busted just this year for having illegal partnerships with students…want these folks carrying guns??
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  • Rock-the-Boat wrote...
    Why not Volunteer retired cops??
    December 21, 2012 7:45 pm
    How many retired cops who are trained would be willing to do this kind of work for free or at reduce pay? While a madman like the Lakewood cop killer was can kill at any time, even kill armed trained officers, remember he was finally killed by a armed and trained police officer. The only way to stop a madman with a gun is a good man with a gun. To bad there was not a good man with a gun at the coffee shop, he may have been able to stop him from killing all four officers.
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