Alphecca: Army Invades CA High School

January 22, 2005

Army Invades CA High School

Well, not exactly, but that's what you'd think from some of the comments related by Jackie Burrell in this Contra Costa Times story:

U.S. Army recruiters turned College Park High School's quad into a lunchtime shooting range Wednesday, much to the consternation of teachers and students.

Recruiters arrived on the College Park campus in a glossy big rig, bearing realistic-looking handguns with air compressors to provide the recoil kick. And they gave the student shooters prizes.

Military recruiters are no strangers on high school campuses, but they usually restrict themselves to flier distribution, strolling about the quad or putting in an occasional appearance in the college and career center.

"It's not a soldier issue," said teacher Jen Kennedy. "In this post-Columbine era, target practice with high school students leaves me speechless."

U.S. Army Sgt. Delbert Miller said he and the Fort Knox marksmanship team visited College Park as just one stop on an annual tour of hundreds of schools and colleges.

"We presented it as an event for the kids," Miller said. "(We used) plastic pistols hooked up to an air compressor."

Read the whole thing. Some of the outrage from students is laughable. Of course, little did the army know that even plastic guns are prohibited on school grounds. I'll be chatting this story up more on my monday Weekly Report.

Posted by Jeff Soyer at January 22, 2005 08:33 AM

Comments

How wonderful! How conflicted the school authorities must be.....are the army guys "heroes" or "terrorists"?
Standing by...

There is no good reason air rifle isn't a PE option in every American High School. Its co-ed, empowering, promotes safety and good citizenship, and you could shoot it in the cafeteria before and after the lunch periods.

Posted by: robert at January 22, 2005 09:19 PM

AFAIK, just about every restriction on the carry of firearms in specific locations contains an exception for law enforcement and military personel in the course of their official duties.

Recruiting is the official duty of Army recruiters, so if the training pistols help them do their jobs (and I've seen a similar truck that had *gasp* M-16s), it's part of their "official duties" and they would be excepted.

Posted by: Heartless Libertarian at January 24, 2005 08:29 AM

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January 22, 2005

Army Invades CA High School

By Golly, you're reading an archived post. Click Here to head to the main page and read current stuff...

Check it out:

My group sci-fi blog novel:

Colony: Alchibah