[Opinionated Blowhard]

Ms Schooner said several people attempted to halt the attack but one male teacher 'got the whole brunt of it'

If the male teacher got in the way of the bear to stop it from attacking children (he wasn't going to halt it), knowing that he would be mauled and probably killed, he's a hero.

[marktwain]

If the male teacher got in the way of the bear to stop it from attacking children (he wasn’t going to halt it), knowing that he would be mauled and probably killed, he’s a hero.

---

Fighting a bear without a weapon is very difficult, but a fair amount of people manage to survive. Some even manage to have most of the faculties intact after a considerable recovery.

Any weapon, even a pocket knife, a club, or a rock seems to increase the chance of winning the fight.

Firearms work the best, handguns seem to work better than rifles or shotguns, mostly because they can be quicker to get into action, and easier to hang on to while being mauled.