WhatsappHow does Israel keep its schools safe from school shootings?
You may be surprised to hear this – In Israel, gun laws are quite strict.
This will probably surprise anyone that visits Israel. It is not rare to walk into a bank in Israel and see several people with machine guns. That is because there are so many people who are enlisted in the Army.
However, young people cannot easily attain a gun license. They need to go through background checks and prove that they are fit to carry.
Nearly every security guards in Israeli schools first trained in the Israeli Army. During that time, problematic individuals should be weeded out.
However, there is no perfect system for keeping schools safe. Even metal protectors at the door way are not fail-safe options.
The Right Mix
It would seem to me that the ideal mix is the following three things.
1. A well-trained security guard at all doors in and out of the school.
2. Qualified mental health professionals coordinating frequently with teachers to focus and properly deal with problematic students.
3. A friendly, not-too-competitive atmosphere in the school.
4. A few well-trained teachers who pack concealed weapons. Students should know that there are at least 4-5 teachers packing weapons walking through the halls at all times.
Merkaz HaRav Shooting Attack
On March 6, 2008, a 26 year old Arab terrorist walked into an unguarded area of a school of higher learning and began shooting. He concealed a box with an AKM assault rifle and fired 500-600 rounds.
The attack lasted for around 15 minutes. In the end, the attacker was killed by a Yeshiva student carrying a gun. A policeman outside did not do his job. Otherwise, the attacker would probably have been engaged and killed earlier.
The Arab terrorist was not a student – but a terrorist looking for “easy prey.” Security guards now guard nearly every school around the country – even in locations generally considered safe.
In my opinion, this is one of those issues where the “say-it-like-it-is” attitude of President Trump is a good thing. Donald Trump declared many times that if there were more people packing, mass murderers would be stopped in their tracks earlier.
Of course, fierce opponents of the NRA think this will just increase school shootings. It seems to me that most of middle America is filled with people who oppose the right to easily carry an assault rifle, but support allowing 19 or 20 year olds with a clean history to bear arms.
