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Originally Posted by DaleA
Back in 2012 the NRA introduced the School Shield program.
IMhO schools that refuse to look at this program because it's from the NRA show an IRRATIONAL fear/hatred of the NRA that is just plain IRRATIONAL.
A link to the program is here:
https://www.nraschoolshield.org/
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And, like so many NRA initiatives, the School Shield program is rather messed up.
As an instructor holding a half dozen NRA certifications and as a licensed architect who has worked in multiple firms that design schools, I thought I would be an asset to the School Shield program. So I reached out to the NRA to inquire about becoming certified for School Shield. First, it wasn't easy to find out who to contact. It wasn't impossible, but they didn't make it easy.
When I did finally establish communication, it was short-lived. Bottom line -- they only want cops. IMHO this is dumb as a box of rocks. An effective school preparation plan (which is really what this is) involves a lot more than a cop creating a tactical response plan. The plan can't disable building and fiire code requirements. That means the survey team has to understand building and fire codes (as architects, we deal with those every day). You have to understand how alarm systems work. You have to understand doors and locks. (How many of you are aware that the locks on school classroom doors don't work the same as the lock on the front door on your house? Locks are classified by function, and a "classroom" function lock may be built much the same as a "residential entrance" lock, but the way it locks and unlocks is different.) We deal with those issues every day, too.
So, not only could there be a place on every School Shield survey team for an architect, it should (IMHO) be mandatory. But the NRA didn't want to talk to me. I was left with the impression that School Shield was like the Carry Guard program (which I was also unable to get certified for) -- something that was dreamed up by a few members of the inner circle, and reserved for them and their cronies.