No, Sidwell Friends School has no armed guards [We Obama critics were wrong on this one]

Washington Post ^ | January 18, 2013 | Valerie Strauss

[grundle]

The National Rifle Association is airing a television ad (and has on its website this four-minute video) that says the private school that President Obama’s daughters attend, Sidwell Friends School, has 11 armed guards. It doesn’t.

In fact, it has no armed guards. My Post colleague Glenn Kessler, who writes The Fact Checker column, wrote about the issue here and quoted Ellis Turner, associate head of Sidwell Friends, as saying: “Sidwell Friends security officers do not carry guns.”

Parents and students say they have never seen one either.

The president’s children are protected by Secret Service agents, which is required by federal law, but that is not the same thing as armed school resource officers.

The Fact Checker, who hands out “Pinocchios” depending on how accurate — or inaccurate — a particular story is, gave the NRA and its ad the worst possible rating, four Pinocchios. Whereas three Pinocchios are given for “significant factual error and/or obvious contradictions,” four Pinocchios are given for “whoppers.”

[Amendment10]

Their orders are likely to protect the girls at any and all costs. And that does not include hunting down an active shooter unless he is the room with the girls.

Can you imagine the negative PR that both the WH and the SS would get if this was the case and other students / teachers / staff got harmed? Hopefully, the SS has done some careful planning and has enough personnel at the school to handle such contingencies.

By the way, I agree with your signature line.

[cripplecreek]

I’ve been thinking about the rules for radicals and feel like we desperately need a serious conversation at FR about how they’re being used against conservatives.

[Paladin2]

"You might as well claim that our troops shouldn’t be allowed to carry guns. "

They are likely still disarmed at Ft. Hood and in the presence of their fearless leaders.

[rolling_stone]

http://www.sidwell.edu/news/article/index.aspx?linkid=32603&moduleid=379

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/gregory-mocks-lapierre-proposing-armed-guards-sends-kids-high-security-school_691057.html

http://theambientvoices.blogspot.com/2012/05/ronald-security-sidwell-friends-school.html

[cableguymn]

when was the last time the SS held a press conference?

Do you think they care what others thing of the way they do their job?

[Gay State Conservative]

You might as well claim that our troops shouldn’t be allowed to carry guns.

You make a good point.I should have specified that members of the Armed Forces weren't included.Other than that...I stand by it.They're no better than am I or my family.If they plan to deny me the right to defend myself and my family I'll gladly....enthusiastically...return the favor.

[Bellflower]

If this school has the kids of the very rich and powerful attending it, it is likely that other children may have body guards. Kidnapping is a very real threat for the families of the rich and powerful. Who knows how many body guards are normally around watching their client’s children at a given time. With the Obama kids there they might have to pass high security qualifications. With only unarmed security guards the school could hardly go very far in guaranteeing parents their children’s safety.

[babygene]

Don’t be stupid... Of course the SS is not going to allow others to posses guns in the school. Thrus me the school is heavly armed... even though it may not be paid for by the school directly. WE are paying for it.

[muawiyah]

The embassies ALL have automatic weapons ~ nobody's fooling anybody about security in that area.

What is it the union guys call someone who doesn't pay dues? FREE RIDER, right? By analogy Sidwell is a FREE RIDER on the automatic firearms defenses in place around them. They know that and so do the elitist who send they's chillun to that school.

[eggman]

Guys with guns are on the school premises whenever the President's kids are there. That sounds like "armed guards" to me. There are certainly more guns in that school everyday than there were in Sandy Hook school until the police arrived after 27 people were killed.

How many shots could a suicidal attacker get off at Sidwell even if he was carrying banned "assault weapons" with 30 round magazines?

[FreeAtlanta]

I don't like the armed guards, either. They would likely be useless in a terrorist attack. A better choice is to allow teachers and staff who pass rigorous psych tests and training to carry concealed. In college, I would even allow students to carry who are licensed. The more guns in responsible hands, the less likely we will face a Baslan situation. Baslan - it is only a matter of when, not if...

[EternalVigilance]

That school is an armed fortress. They’re just playing semantic games.

[Optimist]

Remember how sick we were are seeing and hearing about Chelsea Clinton?

... or Amy Carter

[EternalVigilance]

How many shots could a suicidal attacker get off at Sidwell even if he was carrying banned "assault weapons" with 30 round magazines?

Not even one. He wouldn't get anywhere near a door before he was laying in a pool of his own blood on the ground.

[Tzimisce]

Uh huh.

And the left is cutting taxes.
And the left is cutting spending.
And the left wants to preserve gun rights.

[C. Edmund Wright]

You may be right. What is certainly true is that there are enough kids of the rich and famous there, that friendly guns are always nearby. This article ,even if technically correct, is misleading.

[babygene]

” Remember how sick we were are seeing and hearing about Chelsea Clinton?”

No I don’t...

[Tzimisce]

In fact, Sidewell isn’t even a school.

It’s a computer warehouse. :)

[vette6387]

“I’m not a fan of the armed guards idea for all schools...”

Then you had better read this: http://www.policeone.com/active-shooter/articles/2058168-Active-shooters-in-schools-The-enemy-is-denial/

If you don’t believe that armed guards are necessary to protect your children, then I pray for their safety because of your ignorance!

[cripplecreek]

My issue with the armed guards idea is that we just don’t need them. There just isn’t a crazed gunman hiding in the bushes outside every school in America.

Statistically the number of random school shootings is so low that you really can’t deal with it effectively. The best thing we could do is eliminate the gun free zones and allow school districts and personnel to make their own choices which keeps a gunman guessing.