I'm just here for the comic relief, folks!

I made my son's principal laugh, tonight.

The school was scheduled to have a "lockdown drill" this week. It had been on the schedule for quite some time. And then the Tech shootings happened, and it seemed, on the one hand, especially important that they practice the procedures for responding to a violent attack. On the other hand, it was, well, perhaps a bit too timely, for some parents.

The basics of the drill are: Lock your classroom door, and have all students huddle in the corner out of the line of sight of the one window that faces the hallway.

It occurred to me that this is exactly the sort of behavior that got people shot, at Tech, when they couldn't keep the doors closed. And also that it is better, and somehow more American, to jump the attacker and pummel him, instead of cowering in fear.

After the drill, Son #1 said that it went pretty well, although his classroom cowered too slowly. They were informed that they'd all be dead, in the case of an actual emergency.

Tonight was a "principal's forum"--a chance for parents to talk to the principal about what's going on at school. I went, and there were less than 20 of us, including staff. So she sees me coming a mile away. Which is OK, mostly. The forum was informative and helpful. But then the subject of the lockdown drill came up.

The principal apologized for holding the lockdown drill. Some parents, it seems, felt it was too soon after the Tech shootings. I guess there are two ways to look at it.

The other night, I was discussing the Tech shootings with Fiddlin' Writer. My thoughts are, generally, that what we need are people with a strong sense of self-preservation. People who, also, are equipped. With a handgun. Having a licensed, competent shooter in those classrooms would have stopped Cho after just one or two killings.

I'm not saying that everyone needs a gun. Just that, there are some people who, if they had a gun, would be able to save the rest of us. And those people should be free to carry their weapons. Big, burly guys who love to hunt and target shoot. Men (and women) who are confident in their ability to act swiftly and surely. People like that. Every group has them, and there are about 1800 people in that school, every day. Gotta be a few teachers (and maybe the occasional 18 year old senior) who would qualify, and who would get together regularly for target practice, right?

So, I asked, at the forum tonight: Has there been any discussion of arming some teachers?

She just laughed, at first.

And then, when I told her I was serious, she laughed again.

"No. None."

OK, then. Hope all goes well.