Making Schools Safer With Tasers, Part 1

In a recent Uniontown Area School Board meeting, director of security for the school district, Don Homer, proposed that the district purchase three Tasers to aid in dealing with school violence.

Concerned citizens and parents in attendance voiced their opposition before Homer could show the Tasers or explain how they operate.

One of the attendees, Mary Hackney, is a local resident who has been a teacher in the Laurel Highlands School district for 35 years. She adamantly stated that in all her career she has never felt the need to use a Taser, despite having broken up many fights.

Hackney maintained, “This is not a safe idea."

Thelma LaHue, another resident, is also opposed to having Tasers in schools, but wanted answers to several questions: How would the Tasers make a difference in safety? Would someone innocent get hurt in an incident? Who would be using the Taser? Would those carrying the Tasers be drug-tested? Was there an incident in the school to cause the need for Tasers?

Homer’s position is to be pro-active in terms of security. While 20 years ago there was no school security. Today, however, “the ways of the world have made it commonplace,” he said.
The security director believes that to do his job effectively he must look both inside and outside of schools in order to keep abreast of trends in society.