It was about 7.40 AM and I pulled into a Starbucks as I was driving to San Francisco. There was a slightly sinister fellow wandering about the carpark dressed in military camouflage and wearing dark glasses. It was only when I got out of the car that I realised he was carrying something that looked like a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). In a split second I was crouching behind my vehicle stick in hand and shaking from a rush of pure adrenaline (cowardice). What to do? The coffee shop was too far and my phone was in the car. I concocted a desperate plan - he must surely have seen me so I’d wait till he was within range, jump out and bash him senseless with my stick. I cautiously looked round the back of the car and was horrified to see him levelling the RPG in my direction whilst staring menacingly. Terrified though I was, I continued to gaze back while praying to St. Jude. The man released some sort of catch and his device started to blow leaves. Now, although there may be some humour involved in my retelling it, my purpose is not to amuse - I have a serious point. Like most teachers, I have absolutely no military experience and wasn’t even a boy scout. The man was foolish to wear an army-style outfit, but he was utterly innocent and was only perceived as a threat due to my ignorance and my fervid imagination. Had the government provided me with a weapon, I am almost sure I would have used it especially if I thought I was protecting students. Stress would have prevented me from shooting to maim rather than kill and my clumsiness would have endangered other innocents. As a guest in your country, it is not my place to talk politics, but I can’t help feeling there has to be a better way than arming educators.
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