And If We Put Bulletproof Textbooks In Bulletproof Backpacks, Then Think How Safe We'll All Be
from the educational-body-armor dept
About a year ago we had the story of a candidate for state school superintendent in Oklahoma who was advocating that textbooks be made with bulletproof covers as a method of protecting students in the exceptionally unlikely event of a school shooting. This seemed like a bizarre idea, especially when you weigh out the costs vs. the likelihood of any such event (and the actual protective ability of a bulletproof textbook). Of course, it appears that others have been thinking along the same lines, as one manufacturer is now selling bulletproof backpacks for your kids as they head back to school. Assuming you're worried that your kid goes to school in a warzone, feel free to pick one up -- but just imagine the protective power of one of those backpacks stuffed with bulletproof books?
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: bulletproof, students
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
let's chant!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
English
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: English
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
$$$?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
hmmm, how well does this bag stop a .22 vs a 50 ??
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
and then...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
and yet...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: and yet...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: and yet...
No real need for a 7 year old kid to carry around a 5 pound (2+ kilo) notebook, so many schools banned them.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: and yet...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
A whole new generation of hunchbacks
On the bright side, the USA will be able to mass produce Kevlar (hence cheaper) bulletproofing, but then again so will erm "dissidents".
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Funny
-Pavel
It's good thing you know a lot about money. The government isn't wasting money on this, some private company is.
Yeah, same with my old school district too, k0. Students weren't allowed to carry bags around unless they had an injury where they needed crutches or a wheelchair.
Even if the textbooks were bulletproof, they won't protect your entire body if you hold it in front of you... it's a silly idea. Same with bulletproof backpacks.
"the GTA will be sued for influencing the easily warped minds of teenagers with guns and violence."
-Harry
You know that has already been tried, right? Look up Jack Thompson.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Funny !wrong!
The government IS wasting my money because the government IS the one spending the money.
The government IS the one that decides to waste the money on bulletproof items.
The government IS the one that forgot that it is about education not daycare.
The government IS the one wasting the money.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Funny !wrong!
But they decided against it, and these backpacks are being sold, not issued.
Not saying that the government doesnt wast money, just try to complain about how they actually wast money.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Funny !wrong!
"The government IS the one that forgot that it is about education not daycare."
Having worked tech in a school, it isn't the schools that have forgotten this it is the parents. I can't count the number of times parent had lawyers in the school I worked at over grades, suspensions, etc. Parents need to back off and let schools run unless there is a issue that needs addressing.
I will not automatically side with my son against the teacher, I need to hear the whole story and judge from there. Then again, I hope to never have to judge because he behaves and listens anyway.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Um. Yeah. Nice going there, ace.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I got it....
Might draw poor attendance to higher math classes though.
"Differential Equations ... RUN!"
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I would rather just carry a gun
I know.../flamebait but it has some plus sides.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Considering the sanity of those who shoot up schools, it probably wouldn't make the slightest difference to them.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
But we can keep going with the other approach of, "This is a gun-free zone. If you want to attack without encountering trouble, attack here --->" So far it's worked incredibly well.
But hey... we have bullet-proof backpacks now. So our kids can hold their backpacks in front of them as they're totally defenseless and waiting to die.
What a wonderful idea. I'll take 2 please!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
IMHO, a two part answer. First, people who believe that they have something to lose rarely act violently. Build the middle class and work to reduce despair from poverty. Second, realize that no one is ever completely safe, don't go to insane lengths to try and create perfect safety.
Bulletproof backpacks are pretty far over the edge, unless you truly send your kids to school in an active war zone.
PS -- I believe in both forms of gun control: nuts, kids, and criminals should not have firearms; and those who do have them learn to shoot straight.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
"Think of all the weight IF eventually all kids start carrying bulletproof backpacks with books with bulletproof textbooks. We will spawn a whole new generation on hunchbacks..."
In case you don't know, most junior high students have backpacks well over 20 pounds.
Walk into a middle school and you'll see backpacks twice the size of the kid slugging it around.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Heavy Backpacks
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Well done, bulletproof bag making company. Well done.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Remember the Spartans
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Remember the Spartans
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Hehe, mayhem
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Any little punk who brings a firearm to school, brandishes it, or uses it - is charged, like an adult and goes to adult prison for the maximum term.
Perhaps real punishment for crimes like this would make a difference?
But also:
Dude - if having a gun made people safe, then Baghdad would be the safest place on earth, followed by Mogadishu.
There were more murders in LA last year than US servicemen that died.
Now, I'll hear 'what about Iraqi's!!!'
Umm, that's just *one* city.
Not that I'm for ol' globalist-elite-faux-cowboy Bush's little power war, but still... just keeping things in perspective.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This will come back to bite them
-Jon
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No need for all this.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
You know it's coming
WE MUST PROTECT THE CHILDREN!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]