You can't call Prescott, Ark., a quiet little town. Small of population, it may be. But the train that comes through every 15 minutes, like a bat out of a stump hole, makes sure the town is loud enough.
The last time we had the pleasure of writing about Prescott, Ark., a man named Mike Ross was still in the news, running for office. Ah, Mike Ross. What a talent. You have to know some things to be a business owner, pharmacist, and to understand local and national politics the way he did. Was he the last of the blue dog Democrats, the last of the conservative types among the ever-increasing "progressive" liberal party? That's a shame. For the party.
Some of our favorite people are from Prescott (pronounced Press-cut). The last names are all familiar, but most folks there will insist on your using their first names.
What's not familiar is seeing Prescott, Ark., on the front pages.
NB: We have no inside information on the shooting at Prescott High School. All we know we get from the morning paper. And first reports are that one student was wounded, another was arrested, and two school resource officers were in the building at the time. Also, the whole incident was over in a matter of seconds, according to locals.
Did the resource officers unarm the shooter? Did the resource officers prevent more shots being fired? Did the resource officers see anything, or were they just "in the building"? Was either a certified police officer, or a security guard, or just a teacher? Either which way, were the resource officers armed?
We are gratified to be able to answer those questions: We don't know.
But if, as the news develops, it turns out that the resource officers were involved, it will give more argument to those who want more such officers on public school campuses in Arkansas.
It never did make much sense to some of us that armed officers of the law are needed at football games on Friday nights, but not in the hallways on Monday mornings.
If school districts can afford to pay for multiple assistant football coaches at schools large and small, and if districts can budget for secretaries for assistant superintendents in charge of food services, and maybe a car for the assistant superintendent for transportation, then they can find a way to pay for more police on campus. And for those that simply cannot, or think they cannot, surely a volunteer can be found among the teaching staff.
Such a suggestion often brings phone calls or letters. Even from some teachers, who really should be better at comprehending the language. "Don't arm teachers!" they may fairly shout. Or even: "Arm teachers with knowledge, not guns!" It's a bumper-sticker argument, which means it doesn't require many words. And even less thought. Bumper sticker arguments are thin--like bumper stickers themselves.
Nobody is suggesting arming teachers. It must be pointed out that the sin of omission is still a sin. However, there is a growing number of people in this country who think that arming some teachers is a great idea. For example, the colonel in the National Guard who also teaches math during the week. Or the former police officer who coaches basketball. At these rural schools, especially in Arkansas, you're more likely to find a teacher or two who'd volunteer to take the training needed to keep a gun in the office lockbox.
For those who say, sometimes with haughtiness, that more guns on campus isn't the answer, we give them Friday night football. And ask why police--armed police--are needed there.
It wasn't that long ago--only about 20 years--when some of us began making the argument that schools should have locks on doors, and gates outside, maybe even fences. Editorials began making such arguments after Columbine. The letters poured in:
You can't make our schools look like prisons! Schools should be open and inviting! Locks? Cameras? Save it for juvee!
Now, after the umpteenth school shooting, nobody is making those arguments anymore.
We hope more security on campus is soon seen as common sense, too. We just hope there's not another Columbine first. Or Jonesboro. Or Virginia Tech. Or Sandy Hook. Or Parkland. . . .
Editorial on 04/04/2019