Can this help?

VALLEY, Ala. — A middle school principal in eastern Alabama wants to stockpile cans of food such as corn and peas in classrooms so that students could hurl them as weapons in a last-resort confrontation with a school intruder.

In a letter January 9, W.F. Burns Middle School Principal Priscella Holley asked parents to have each student bring an 8-ounce canned item.

"We realize at first this may seem odd; however, it is a practice that would catch an intruder off guard," she wrote in the letter, published by WHNT-TV in Huntsville.

"The canned food item could stun the intruder or even knock him out until the police arrive," Holley wrote. "The canned food item will give the students a sense of empowerment to protect themselves and will make them feel secure in case an intruder enters their classroom."

The school is in Valley, Alabama, part of the Chambers County school system.

The letter was sent after school employees received training from Auburn University's Department of Public Safety, Chambers County Schools Superintendent Kelli Hodge said January 13.

The food cans would be stored in classrooms and students wouldn't be carrying them around school, Hodge said.

Using cans or other items as weapons would be a last resort for students unable to evacuate, Hodge said.

Teachers are taught to barricade classroom doors if an intruder is in the school, but if that fails, the cans and items such as textbooks could be used, she said.

"If somebody is going to force their way through, then as the last resort you would start throwing any objects you could get your hands on," Hodge said.

Source: The Northwestern.com 

Damien's note: I'm sorry, but a country that is unwilling to do anything about access to firearms thinking it can save children by handing them canned corn to hurl at the crazy person shooting at them has watched too many stupid cartoons.

When I shared this story with Daniel, his immediate lawyerly response was, "Well, the only thing that can stop a bad man with a gun is a six-year-old with a can of corn."

It reminds me of the days when I was in school and we were seriously taught that if we hid under our desks, the nuclear bombs exploding outside wouldn't hurt us.