Residents talk about armed security in schools

Joy Mitchell, of Rocky Hill. Photos by Jason Harris.

Last week, the ReminderNews asked local people a question that has been on the minds of many in the weeks since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. "How do you feel about having armed security guards or teachers in the schools to protect students?" Here are some of the answers:

‘If it’s between one of the two, I would say security guards. The schools were all built to be easily accessible if there was an emergency to get out. None of the schools are built so they can be protected from different people outside. So that’s what we need to figure out - how to fix the structural issues so that we can stop people from coming in… The teachers, they’re not going to be sitting at the door shooting people. There are going to be herding their kids into closets.’
Joy Mitchell, of Rocky Hill

‘Security guards, [but] towns are not going to be able to afford it. Most towns have hard enough times trying to pay for what they have already. Unless someone is going to pay for all the schools to afford it, I don’t see it happening. I’m not saying I don’t think they should, but in reality it’s not a reality. In other words, that would be great. Who’s to say that’s going to help? Who’s going to pay for it?
‘I don’t think [arming teachers] is a good idea. Unfortunately some people slip through the cracks. What happens if the person slips through the cracks and is a teacher and has a gun? I’m not saying it’s necessarily a bad thing, but I still think, who’s going to pay for that? Who’s going to pay to have the teachers armed? The teachers can barely afford to buy their supplies right now, and are they going to be able to pay for a gun to have? Is the school system going to pay?’
Kerri Lee, of Colchester

‘They should be protected with security guards. I have three kids in school. What happened with Sandy Hook, of course we’re all concerned.’
Maureen Wohlstrom, of Colchester

‘Yes, especially high school. Now that we had the Newtown thing, everybody wants everything covered. I would say mostly high schools should be the ones to have [armed security], just because they’re older, as far as bullying, as far as getting weapons, bombs and those kind of things. It’s more prevalent there.’
Randi Gallagher, of Colchester

‘No, I do not. I think they are blowing this way out of proportion. It’s hype. I don’t want to sound irresponsible and say this is all going to blow over, but it will. I think they are carrying it a bit too far with the armed security guards and stuff. There were no armed security guards when I was around. I just think it’s media hype. There are just some crazy people, whether they got a vendetta against kids or the school system or the government or something, but I don’t know. By the time the guard comes, everyone will already be dead.’
Paul Raczewski, of Westchester

‘That’s a tough one. The armed guards are a good idea, but they are talking about budgets and everything else. These guys have got to be paid… They are talking about cutting salaries for teachers and cutting back this and cutting back that. Where do you draw the line when it comes to kids’ safety? You could have an armed guard there or two armed guards or whatever. It’s extra expenses. It’s a cost people feel that they don’t really need.’
Ernest Day, of Marlborough

‘Security guards, not armed teachers. Teachers are there to teach.’
Arlene Bernstein, of Colchester