Expert Promotes Efforts to Teach Children to Combat School Shooters?
A controversial program encouraging students to confront and counterattack a violent intruder in their school is earning the praise from a Professor at Kansas State University.
Charles Smith, professor of family studies and human service at Kansas State's College of Human Ecology, wrote "Raising Courageous Kids: Eight Steps to Practical Heroism." When he heard about a school district in Texas that is training its students to fight back against an attacker, Smith thought the idea was right-on.
"Finally somebody is really looking at this and saying, 'Don't be a lamb,'" he said. "It's telling kids to keep their heads up and to defend themselves with a sense of honor and self-respect."
Smith said fighting back and fighting for your life is a message that's been delivered to adults as a self-defense tactic for years, and that it's about time children start hearing the same thing.
When he conducts bullying-response programs in schools, one of Smith's messages to children is "don't feed the bully," don't give bullies what they want. Bullies want to intimidate and cause fear in their targets. That's why Smith said a program like the one in Texas is good in that it encourages children to overcome their fear.
Of course, what this issue doesn't explore is the increased chance of a child being shot or stabbed if the attacker poses a serious harm, or has the intent to kill regardless of the outcome.
"I don't think we do a very good job of teaching kids about and learning to respond to their own fear," Smith said. "One of the greatest things this program is doing is to encourage public discussion about issues of fear, courage and risk management in kids. I think this is going to bring a sea change in how we look at these kinds of circumstances."
Smith asserts that he has seen firsthand the power that even half a dozen preschoolers can have. When Smith was a preschool teacher, he once engaged his preschool group in a game of tug-of-war. He was surprised by the children's combined strength, as they dragged him around the playground despite his strongest efforts to resist.
Great comparison.
"Although in theory, a group of older grade-schoolers may have enough physical power to combat an attacker, it doesn't mean they can keep their composure in a school shooting situation in the way a middle school or high school student might. They don't have the capacity to control fear, avoid panic and act in any decisive way," Smith said.
Smith said respecting differences in age and maturity level is something schools will have to keep in mind as they consider implementing this kind of program.
"And, adults still have to assume the primary responsibility to do all they can to protect children at all grade levels," he said.
If children are taught how to confront an attacker at school, their parents may worry about whether their children make the right choice.
"It's a matter of how you want your children to live their lives," he said. "Do you want them to manage and overcome fear, to have self-respect and a personal strength that courage can give them? The alternative is to leave them powerless and vulnerable."
Then again, we could just leave it up to the parents to decide what's best for their kids in such a scenario.
Charles Smith, professor of family studies and human service at Kansas State's College of Human Ecology, wrote "Raising Courageous Kids: Eight Steps to Practical Heroism." When he heard about a school district in Texas that is training its students to fight back against an attacker, Smith thought the idea was right-on.
"Finally somebody is really looking at this and saying, 'Don't be a lamb,'" he said. "It's telling kids to keep their heads up and to defend themselves with a sense of honor and self-respect."
Smith said fighting back and fighting for your life is a message that's been delivered to adults as a self-defense tactic for years, and that it's about time children start hearing the same thing.
When he conducts bullying-response programs in schools, one of Smith's messages to children is "don't feed the bully," don't give bullies what they want. Bullies want to intimidate and cause fear in their targets. That's why Smith said a program like the one in Texas is good in that it encourages children to overcome their fear.
Of course, what this issue doesn't explore is the increased chance of a child being shot or stabbed if the attacker poses a serious harm, or has the intent to kill regardless of the outcome.
"I don't think we do a very good job of teaching kids about and learning to respond to their own fear," Smith said. "One of the greatest things this program is doing is to encourage public discussion about issues of fear, courage and risk management in kids. I think this is going to bring a sea change in how we look at these kinds of circumstances."
Smith asserts that he has seen firsthand the power that even half a dozen preschoolers can have. When Smith was a preschool teacher, he once engaged his preschool group in a game of tug-of-war. He was surprised by the children's combined strength, as they dragged him around the playground despite his strongest efforts to resist.
Great comparison.
"Although in theory, a group of older grade-schoolers may have enough physical power to combat an attacker, it doesn't mean they can keep their composure in a school shooting situation in the way a middle school or high school student might. They don't have the capacity to control fear, avoid panic and act in any decisive way," Smith said.
Smith said respecting differences in age and maturity level is something schools will have to keep in mind as they consider implementing this kind of program.
"And, adults still have to assume the primary responsibility to do all they can to protect children at all grade levels," he said.
If children are taught how to confront an attacker at school, their parents may worry about whether their children make the right choice.
"It's a matter of how you want your children to live their lives," he said. "Do you want them to manage and overcome fear, to have self-respect and a personal strength that courage can give them? The alternative is to leave them powerless and vulnerable."
Then again, we could just leave it up to the parents to decide what's best for their kids in such a scenario.
posted by Michael Burns at 1:09 PM
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