An American Beslan

The United States has porous borders. American citizens and legal resident aliens have traveled abroad to wage jihad and for terrorist training. We need a comprehensive national plan to defend school children, not just from a lone gunman or the prospect of another Columbine, but from a Beslan-type orchestrated terrorist attack. America needs to restrict access to schools to a single entrance where metal detectors are used on everyone seeking access. An armed guard must be stationed at this entrance at all times. Armed school resource officers must be present at every school as well. Armed veterans or retired law enforcement officers should also be protecting schools and school buses. Teachers, school bus drivers, and other school personnel should be offered the chance to carry concealed weapons on school grounds and school buses after completing training similar to what commercial pilots were offered after September 11, 2001. Most school attacks would be deterred by these measures, and those that are not would be met by force that would ultimately save innocent life.