Guns in the classroom?

Guns Magazine, Sept, 2003 by John Taffin

A Sea Change

I retired from teaching in 1995, and by that time the climate had started to change. As shootings occurred around the country, "experts" pinpointed the problem not as a very few bad kids, but rather that all guns were bad. (Have you ever noticed how every problem and crisis brings out more "experts" than fleas on a mangy dog?) Guns in the classroom were now bad.

The paranoia grew worse and worse as zero tolerance policies were adopted. Zero tolerance is nothing more than a covering for those that do not believe they are smart enough to make individual decisions. Schools became Gun Free Zones. Pity the student found with a pocket knife, a table knife in his lunch sack or even a playful boy who might point his finger at his friend simulating a gun. Expulsion or perhaps worse yet, a visit to the school psychologist would be the likely result.

Then, quite recently, something happened. A crack opened in this wall of irrationality. My friend Ray Walters happened to mention to a teacher acquaintance that we were going on a buffalo hunt in Kansas. The teacher grabbed onto this and asked Ray if we would be willing to come to school and talk about buffalo, buffalo hunting, and Indians. When he asked me about it my response was only if we could bring guns into the classroom.

Ray did not want to pass up the opportunity even if we couldn't bring in the guns. I really didn't want to pass it up either however, my suggestion. was that we at least try and see what would happen. The teacher took the idea to the principal. The principal had no problem whatsoever with us bringing guns to school, and in fact wrote a letter stating we had special permission to do so.

The principal happened to be a lady who showed more intestinal fortitude than most men in her position would probably be willing to display. Perhaps the one who said, "the best man for a job is usually a woman" was right!

Crisis Of Confidence

We were asked to come and make a presentation before three classes. I assumed we would be talking to sixth graders, which would be piece of cake after three decades of teaching ninth grade students. Sure, I was confident. Having dealt with several thousand kids over those years with rarely a problem, why wouldn't I be?

That confidence disappeared quickly upon arrival when I found we would be talking to second graders. With no experience with this age level, except for grandkids, I was not so sure of my kid-handling abilities. Not to worry. All three classes were perfect -- totally attentive and full of questions. Perhaps it was just that they had never seen anything quite like us before.

Even as we unloaded our equipment I was still wondering if we would really be able to pull this off, especially as we unloaded all the gun boxes. We were both dressed appropriately for the 19th-century and stirred up plenty of interest among kids on the playground. In addition to our costuming we also took hunting pictures, a buffalo robe, a real buffalo "chip," and enough buffalo burger patties so that every kid could taste real buffalo meat. They really enjoyed that part.