In the months following the horrific events of the Parkland school shooting a nationwide argument continues to take place over the best tactics to ensure the safety of students and faculty in schools across America.
Some school districts have taken matters into their own hands when it comes to the security of schools by arming teachers in the event of a mass shooting. 16-inch wooden baseball bats have been distributed to teachers in the Millcreek Township School District in Erie County, Pennsylvania.
Effective ways to promote safety in schools, specifically in response to school shootings, have been discussed in numerous school districts across the country. Many schools, such as the ones in Millcreek, have previously focused on attempting to hide from possible attackers by turning off the lights and locking the classroom doors.
Following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the Millcreek Township School District knew that changes had to be made in terms of safety procedures for their students and staff.
Of course, these 16-inch bats are not intended to arm teachers but to be a symbol of the choice to fight back against a potential threat. Superintendent William Hall told The Washington Post, “They’re the little souvenir bats that you buy in baseball parks. They could be used as a weapon, but so could a number of things in a classroom.”