First, there's nothing wrong with learning how to use a handgun or a rifle. There's no inherent danger in it. We teach self-defense, we teach /advanced/ self-defense as well, which verges on the not-so-defendy. Scott teaches driving lessons that are not just about not running red lights. We teach students how to control deadly, dangerous mutations. Some of us are bigger, better weapons than any gun will ever be. How many of us have killed people now, not by accident, but one way or another? We might as well face up to that fact and start getting serious and responsible about it.

I have Angelo talked around to the idea of a staff-supervised student skill-sharing exercise that focusses on more than just the guns. It's not going to be him and the kids and a box of contraband weapons out back after school hours. People came into this place and shot at the children in it. I think it's reasonable to give the older ones, at least, some sense of understanding and mastery of the things used to threaten them. Does that make any sense? At least this way it can be done with supervision and support, because I think it's going to happen anyway and we might as well at least mediate it as best we can.

If it's decided that this shouldn't fly, then that would be a /huge/ relief for me. I hate the idea too. But I think it's got to wind down slowly and carefully because slapping a lid on things now will simply alienate some of our more volatile students who are here /by the invitation/ of the Professor.