A school district in the state of Washington is arming teachers with tee-ball bats to use if there’s an active shooter.
“Under stress, almost everyone can swing a stick,” John Ladines told KING.
Ladines is a former Washington State Patrol trooper and Richland police officer. In 2012, he launched Force Dynamics to help districts and organizations with lockdowns and active shooter responses.
Last week, Ladines trained staff members at the Dayton School District to take out an active shooter using a tee-ball bat. He spent the afternoon walking into classrooms and letting teachers swing at him.
He says blocking the doorway with desks will distract the shooter and leave them vulnerable.
“We’re looking at that very small window of opportunity,” Ladines said. “Law enforcement calls it the fatal funnel. They don’t know what’s on the other side of the door.”
The state superintendent says he would rather see teachers with bats than handguns, but believes security decisions are best left up to local districts.
