Something Texas Can Do Right Now to Help Keep Children Safe

We’re seeing a lot of heartfelt, but pointless, finger-pointing in the aftermath of the tragic and horrific shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde last week. When people call out for something to be done, they tend to repeat the talking points that have emerged after every mass shooting, which basically emphasize what each person already believed to start with. Lots of heat and little light.

One problem with the analysis is that there does not seem to be one central factor that can be identified in all cases. As each new bit of information emerges, as is happening in this case, the spotlight shifts to another factor and then everyone argues about whether anything can be done about it. For instance, now law enforcement errors are being blamed, which takes attention away from the many other factors involved. So yes, if we could turn back time we might have a different outcome in Uvalde, but the next school shooting may unfold in a completely different way.

Sadly, the NRA since the 1980’s has been fostering the myth of the “real man” who protects his family against threats, often seen as coming from the government, by using his gun. It is an image that appeals to conservative distrust of big government and thus has a strong appeal within the Republican party: if you don’t support the idea that everyone who wants one should be able to walk around carrying a gun, you must be a weak person who doesn’t care about protecting your family.

In this way, gun ownership has been profoundly politicized over the last fifty years, especially in Texas. Any attempts to regulate it are seen as attacking the constitutional right to “keep and bear arms.” Thus, even a weapon such as an AR-15, which arguably has no essential purpose in civilian life, must never be regulated, lest the government come and take every gun in your house, right down to your kid’s BB gun.

Reports are emerging that some Republicans in Congress are open to considering the red-flag laws that they defeated several years ago. A red-flag law allows the temporary confiscation of the guns of an individual who is considered to be a threat to public safety as long as a court order is issued. It is not clear whether such a law would have made a difference in Uvalde but even the most minimal amount of regulation is a big stretch for the Republicans. Don’t count on anything significant changing, though. Lawmakers may feel that the rights of the unbalanced shooter are more important than those of the potential victims. Of course, they don’t describe it that way. They fear that any regulation at all is the beginning of the confiscation of all guns.

I want to propose a path of action that should be agreeable to those on both sides of this deeply complicated issue. It’s something that can be done right now, while the debate about the many other factors rages on. It’s strictly about improving the safety of our children while they are attending school and does not require anyone to change their beliefs about the root causes and solutions to gun violence. Are you with me so far?

Texas has a budget surplus of $12 billion, with another $12 billion in the rainy-day fund. There is enough money to pay for a security analysis and security upgrades for every public school in the state, from a one-room schoolhouse to a huge urban high school. This is called “hardening the target” and, while it will not prevent shootings, it could help expose vulnerabilities that schools shouldn’t be expected to pay for on their own.

I read this morning that Robb Elementary had undergone a $650,000 security enhancement, at the school district’s expense, but that doesn’t mean that security enhancements don’t make a difference. It just means that the other factors, like how a side door was left unlocked, or how law enforcement responded, must also be considered. But the expense of evaluating and implementing security enhancements should not be left to the individual school systems.

If this isn’t a rainy day, I don’t know what is. Texas has the money. Do our leaders have the will? Let’s ask them!

Susan Hull is retired clinical psychologist, an Independent voter and a gun owner. She believes we should keep guns out of schools rather than arming the folks inside.