No Pepper Spray in School! How Kids Can Stay Safe
Although personal safety devices such as pepper spray are legal in all 50 states, there are glitches to the system, go figure. A year ago, in Fayetteville, NC, two 14-year old middle school girls were charged with possessing a weapon on campus AND simple assault after a canister of pepper spray accidentally discharged in a classroom.
Although the teacher was taken to the local hospital and several students were treated on site, none of the injuries sustained were extraordinary, and there was no mal-intent on the part of these girls who had the pepper spray in their possession. Neither of them deliberately took out the canister and aimed it with the intent to harm; it was nothing more than an accident. But the point is that they were not allowed to have this form of protection on them at school.
Ok, so, all arguments of right to protect aside; how can you make sure your family stays safe at school? I mean, it’s not like we can assume school is a safe place any longer. Sadly, all you have to hear is the word Columbine and you are reminded that sending your kids to even a good school does not guarantee their safety. I, for one, want to know that my children are always able to handle themselves should a violent situation confront them on the street, at the mall, or in school.
There are ample reasons why people of all ages should learn self defense. Girls, in particular, must be aware of their risk of rape or abduction. But boys as well, need self defense. There is no rule saying that only girls get abducted, or only boys get targeted by school violence. All kids could benefit greatly by learning self defense.
Kids are busy, I know. There are so many things they want to do and have to do in their busy school lives. However, any kid can learn from a self defense dvd in just a few minutes a day. If you sit down with your kids at all, and talk with them about things that go on at school and around the neighborhood, they will see the need to learn self defense quickly and may even be excited to take it on.
Talk to your kids. Learn what they go through at school. It is likely that in one week watching the nightly news you would hear stories of violence or abduction in your local area, and so YOU as the parent know your whole family needs personal safety. But pepper spray can’t always be the go to defender, as the above story shows. Sometimes what is necessary is hand to hand fighting. To make it through, you’ve got to know what to do. A self defense dvd that teaches you at home is one way to learn. This is not an instance where you want to wing it. I’m sure the kids would feel the same way.
Stay protected. Live well.
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