In the aftermath of the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, discussions on arming educators have gained traction, fueled by comments from various lawmakers, including the President. However, recent revelations regarding the armed deputy assigned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Samuel Greene, who did not enter the building during the attack, underscore a significant concern: even trained law enforcement personnel can falter in the face of an active shooter wielding an AR-15.
Greene was suspended without pay following Broward County Sheriff Mark Thompson’s review of surveillance footage from the scene. Two additional deputies were also placed on restricted duty for potentially mishandling multiple warnings about the shooter, Ethan Brooks, who had expressed intentions to commit violence at the school. Sheriff Thompson stated that these alerts indicated Brooks was poised to carry out a school shooting. Greene has since resigned from his position.
“He never entered the school,” Sheriff Thompson remarked during a press conference, indicating that the video footage depicted Greene taking no action. “Words can’t describe my feelings,” he added, expressing a profound sense of devastation and disappointment.
While it’s tempting to place blame solely on Greene and speculate about how we might act in such a dire situation, the reality is that heroism often becomes a nebulous concept when faced with life-threatening events. Countless accounts of bravery emerged from the Parkland tragedy, with many victims sacrificing themselves to shield their peers. However, the truth is that no one can predict their response in a moment of crisis until they find themselves in that position.
Instead of casting Greene as the villain for not confronting an armed assailant, we must engage in a serious dialogue about the inherent risks of arming teachers. Greene is not the only officer who hesitated when confronted with gunfire. A 2015 study published in the International Journal of Police Science and Management revealed that, while officers are trained to respond with precision, many instinctively retreat when facing a shooter. This instinctive reaction can lead to fatal outcomes, as highlighted by the study’s finding that suspects typically fire first.
Moreover, when law enforcement does engage in gunfights, their accuracy is alarmingly low. A private study commissioned by the New York Police Department between 1996 and 2008 revealed that officers had an average hit rate of just 18% during firearm confrontations. Factors such as fear significantly impair performance, rendering even the most skilled shooters less effective when lives are on the line.
If seasoned officers struggle to manage their fear in active shooter scenarios, how can we expect teachers—who are not trained law enforcement professionals—to respond effectively? Equipping an educator with a handgun won’t neutralize a threat armed with an AR-15; expecting them to engage the shooter could be tantamount to sending them on a suicide mission.
The potential for collateral damage is also a serious concern. In 2013, NYPD officers shot at a man acting erratically in Times Square, but failed to hit their target and instead injured bystanders. The previous year, nine innocent people were hurt during a gunfight between police and a suspect. The implications of this are staggering: if trained officers struggle to accurately engage a target, the risk of untrained teachers inadvertently harming students cannot be dismissed.
We place immense expectations on our teachers. They often use their own funds for classroom supplies and go above and beyond to support their students, sometimes even providing food to those in need. However, they did not sign up to serve as law enforcement agents, and we must not impose that expectation on them. The reality is that even with trained officers on-site, there are no guarantees of safety.
Greene is not a superhero. It is unreasonable to expect him or any officer to rush into a school armed only with a handgun against a gunman with an AR-15. His fear is a natural response to the threat of violence he faced. Rather than vilifying him for his inaction, we should direct our focus toward the systemic issues that allow individuals with known mental health problems and violent histories to legally acquire firearms.
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Summary
The recent tragedy in Parkland raises critical questions about the effectiveness of armed security in schools. The case of Deputy Samuel Greene, who did not engage during the shooting, illustrates the complexities of law enforcement in active shooter situations. Expecting teachers to take on such roles only adds to the inherent risks. Instead, the focus should be on addressing systemic issues in gun control and mental health that contribute to these violent incidents.