A Florida school district is taking advantage of a Federal government program to procure M-16 assault rifles to arm school police officers. The rifles are a sweet deal at $50 a piece and are saving the school district enormous amounts of money. The District says this will make the schools better equipped to handle emergency situations. The NAACP doesn’t agree. They say:
“Adding the presence of military-grade weapons to school climates that have become increasingly hostile due to their overreliance on police to handle routine student discipline can only exacerbate existing tensions, intensifying overly punitive atmospheres that criminalize and stigmatize students of color.”
Why does it always come back to color? This is about protecting our children, children of EVERY color. That’s the primary focus. An M-16 in the hands of a properly trained professional is more effective than a 911 call any day. Let’s stay focused the goal fellas.
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Photo credit Andrew Becraft
