FASTER Class Level 2 raises concept of armed response in school to new level

At the conclusion of the first Level 2 FASTER (Faculty & Administrator Safety Training and Emergency Response) class last week, I was filled with pride. Not just a happy, proud moment, but a deep pride in a reality that far exceeded my wildest dreams. The concept of armed response in our schools has been raised to a whole new level.

I was saying goodbye to teachers and school superintendents and other school staff who had just finished three intense days of training at Tactical Defense Institute (TDI) in West Union, Ohio. Among the students were many of the people I first talked to in the weeks following the Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. Back then the idea of an armed school staff was shocking to most, but in light of the emotions of all who were sickened with the news reports and pictures of innocent little kids gunned down by an angry coward – everything was on the table to make our kids safer than the defenselessness that was the norm in our school systems.

Many in the class were leaders in their districts who brought the idea of armed staffers to their local school boards. They took questions from the board of education members and worked with volunteers at Buckeye Firearms Foundation to find answers. We helped put them in contact with topic experts and we all learned as we sorted through the concerns of a seemingly radical concept. In time, we realized that all school districts shared the same love of our children, and concerns for their safety. They simply were not familiar with the topic of guns and how they could be used to protect others from violence. We helped fill in that knowledge gap, and the local contacts volunteered to attend training and buy tools needed for the role.

When we announced the first teacher class, it was to prove that it was a viable concept. The plan was to step aside and let schools work with trainers. I never intended to be involved long term. But there was so much demand from school employees that we could not train 24 out of 1,500 people and pat ourselves on the back and walk away calling it a job well done. We also quickly received financial donations allowing us to schedule a second, third, and forth class. We soon added another instructor and location and have trained over 300 people through the FASTER program.

As we were putting together the dates for this year’s classes, John Benner inquired about a “Level 2” class. It would continue from where the Level 1 classes left off. It was agreed that the last summer class would be a Level 2 class. All participants attended FASTER training last year. All but a few have been carrying handguns in schools on a daily basis. Many were those first contacts with whom we had repeated phone calls and emails. They were the educators with a firearms background that helped bridge the gap between shooters and teachers.

The class also contained a couple of people who, up until the Sandy Hook killings, had never fired a gun. That horrific event made them reach outside their comfort zone and acquire some basic knowledge of active killers and firearms. They took a basic pistol class, bought a gun, and obtained their CHL. They continued training, attended a FASTER class last year, and were granted permission to carry in their schools. They attended class last week and trained alongside their School Resource Officer. Teacher and cop working together in their joint passion for the education and safety of “their kids.” This is the future for our schools.

Many schools started last year by authorizing one administrative person to carry a gun in school. They wanted to start slowly and address issues keeping the concept very limited. The biggest problem was the realization that one person could not adequately protect the entire school. They asked if we could train others in their district, which we have done. Several such schools were represented in the Level 2 class and will take the lessons of that class back to their districts to share with other authorized persons.

These people, with various job titles, experiences, and abilities, came together for a class united in their dedication to make our schools safe places for our children to learn. They are the pioneers who have made an idea a reality in our school system. The concept of school staffers carrying guns is not new – is has been practiced in multiple states for over a decade and is uniformly accepted in Israel. It is not yet mainstream, but there is little doubt that we are headed in that direction.

One person shared a personal story about a planned killing in their school. Law enforcement was alerted and intervened before event day, but the chilling details of the plan helped school administrators who were very hesitant about arming staff members to realize that their “it could never happen here” district could have been worse than Newtown.

The pride that comes from being involved in a revolution in safety that will affect all schools in the years to come is difficult to convey. Ohio is very fortunate to have experts like John Benner, Ron Borsch, Dr. Dick Caster, Chris Cerino, and Phil Chalmers living in our state. It has been a privilege for Buckeye Firearms Foundation to work with such experts and school staffers, and to share the collective knowledge with the growing numbers of interested individuals in other states who want to emulate this program nationwide.

The schools which led the way over a year ago have advanced to the next level of training and school safety. They are the most prepared for school violence, and thus the least likely to experience it, yet they are always seeking to learn and improve. Other schools continue to fall further behind, letting fear and ignorance overshadow knowledge of how safe and effective the FASTER concept would be in their school.

It was an honor to spend three days with leaders in our firearms training and education system. I have great respect for each of them and am grateful for the effort they have all put into learning and sharing the skills needed to stop violence in our schools.

Jim Irvine is the Buckeye Firearms Foundation President, BFA PAC Chairman and recipient of the NRA-ILA's 2011 "Jay M. Littlefield Volunteer of the Year Award" and the CCRKBA's 2012 "Gun Rights Defender of the Year Award."

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