Training and arming the custodians/teachers/staff would be a reasonable compromise between security and economy.
Right away after Newtown, when my son and I were discussing the arguments being made, he wondered if schools would have any problem with teachers, etc having guns with rubber bullets, or a taser.
Aside from the politics and 2nd Amendment aspects of the issue, tasers and/or rubber bullets (as a substitute for NOTHING, in places where the liberal fear of guns won’t be overcome) could hopefully at least prevent a Beslan from happening in the US. Because we can know for sure that the enemies of America are comprehending and planning to exploit the vulnerabilities that we’ve shown the world.
At this point a school being disarmed has to be about as provocative to the Islamists as a woman showing her elbow. No man can be expected to withstand that level of temptation.
Never bring a rubber bullet (that may not faze a lunatic) to a lead bullet fight.
Never bring a taser (that can be defeated with a heavy coat) to a lead bullet fight.
Always bring a lot of big, fast lead to a lead fight.