The NRA is desperate to change the conversation in the aftermath of Newton. So desperate in fact that they have created a new organization dedicated to "School Safety". On April 2nd Asa Hutchinson held a press conference to highlight a report by the NRA's National School Shield Initiative (video below). It's quite amusing to watch the contortions Mr. Hutchinson is willing to go through to try to change the story from "School Shootings" to 'School Safety". It's a slick word change on par with the "pro-life" movement. If you watch between the lines Mr. Hutchinson also tries to shift blame from guns to schools' lack of security measures. It would be impressive if it weren't so disturbing.

The other major goal of this press conference was for the NRA to attempt to position their new National School Shield Initiative as the authority on school safety. Some of their recommendations would intertwine the NRA's new agency with Federal and Sate school safety policy. For example they want States to change their education adequacy requirements to include a safety analysis and plan. Conveniently Mr. Hutchinson also announced the NRA will have safety assessment and planning tools for schools to use on the National School Shield Initiative website. It's quite a brilliant move, albeit evil. By using their massive financial and political power to create an organization centered on "school safety" the NRA can jump to the front of the debate and crowd out other voices. Voices that might not have the best interest of the gun manufactures at heart.

Most reports have focused on the recommendations which are absurd on their face. Instead of regulating guns Mr. Hutchinson would have us turn our schools into miniature gulags surrounded by fencing and staffed with armed guards. A far cry from the school experience I remember. Many of the recommendations smack of starting with a solution of "more guns" and working backwards. I don't want to spill too much ink on this because others have covered it better but I have to weigh in on one recommendation.

One of the key recommendations is to train school staff to carry a weapon in the schools. Mr. Hutchinson makes a point to say "

...this is not talking about all teachers. Teachers should teach". However he feels that if a teacher wants to volunteer to carry a gun in school they should be allowed to. Now think back to your time in school which teacher do you think would volunteer to carry a gun? It's not going to be that cool math teacher that let you hang out in his class during lunch. It's going to be the power tripping English teach that got their rocks off by pushing kids around. Only this time he'll have a gun.

C-SPAN Video