Serious question for teachers, teacher cert students, parents

[JoDog]

9. You are absolutely right

First off, thank you for being a teacher. I owe anything I become in life to the great people who taught in the public school system in the small town where I grew up. They can't get enough respect and love.

I don't want defensive training to be a professional requirement of teachers. This is not a part of the teacher's job description. It is not what the President meant by doing better.

However, sometimes there is a gap between the world we have and what we want it to be. What I want is one thing; what may be needed is another. No matter what changes are made in the wake of the Newtown massacre (and I hope there are many), there will be a bridge period before we see the direct results.

While martial arts cannot defend against a range weapon, it may prevent dozens of other smaller tragedies that happen in American schools every day.

Changing our gun laws and improving mental health treatment is going to take time. I think it is worthwhile to consider other options to improve school security while that fight goes on. It is the pressure applied to a bleeding wound while the patient is rushed to a hospital for surgery.