Including ...Defending Against School Shooters • President’s Message • Attorney Question • Book Review • Editorial • About this Journal
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Defending Against School Shooters
An Interview with Dr. David R. Walker
Interview by Gila Hayes
When mass shootings are reported, few create as much anguish as attacks that kill school children. In contrast to vociferous but ineffective cries for new laws, a few proactive school administrators are addressing causes leading a student to attack fellow students, coupled with sensible defensive precautions to decisively stop threats against students. For a number of years, I have followed the school safety efforts of a Network member who is a small town Texas school superintendent. Dr. David R. Walker has instituted an armed school defense program that is effective and has the support of the school board, the community, the school staff and the students.
Christoval Independent School District’s Guardian Plan has armed staff since 2013, an all-encompassing effort in which students, staff and administration all participate. The result is safe schools that focus on turning out self-sufficient, well-prepared graduates without taking on the atmosphere of an armed fortress. I had gotten bits and pieces of the Christoval story from Dr. Walker over the years and was privileged recently to have a long talk with him about his work to create a safe learning environment. I believe Network members will be as inspired by his work as I am.
Let’s switch now to our familiar Q & A format to learn about the Christoval School District’s Guardian Plan and how Dr. Walker has trained and armed school staff to protect students.
eJournal: Seven years ago, Christoval Independent School District (ISD) undertook the gargantuan effort of responsibly arming school staff to protect students and teachers against an active killer attack. Please tell me what drove you to create the Guardian program.
President’s Message
Legislative Testimony
by Marty Hayes, J.D
It has been a very interesting month here at the Network, at least for me. That is because this past month has been all about Washington state politics. Something that most of the Network members (except for the Washington members) did not realize until this message, is that the Network has been working with WA state Senator Lynda Wilson http://lyndawilson.src.wastateleg.org/ to get a bill passed in Washington to create an exemption for self-defense legal subscription programs (that is what they call us) from the clutches from the Washington State Insurance Commissioner.
Attorney Question of the Month
Network members have questions about self-defense shootings that occur in and around cars. Late last summer, news reports about a spree shooter who killed seven people and injured more than 20 while driving around Odessa, TX, before he was shot by police gave rise to questions that we posed to our affiliated attorneys. We asked:
Setting aside the many tactical and marksmanship issues associated with shooting from vehicles, if an armed citizen faced a similar situation in your state, do laws that prohibit shooting from or across roads and from vehicles make an exception for self defense?
What legal issues could you envision arising from shooting back if caught in a moving attack?
Book Review
Concealed Carry Class
The ABCs of Self-Defense Tools and Tactics
by Tom Givens
272 pages, 8 1/2x11, paperback
$24.99 paperback or $23.99 digitally delivered PDF https://www.gundigeststore.com/product/concealed-carry-class-the-abcs-of-self-defense-tools-and-tactics/
Publisher: Gun Digest Books (Jan. 14, 2020)
ISBN-13: 978-1946267955
Reviewed by Gila Hayes
Tom Givens, our advisory board member and a well-known popular armed defense instructor, distills his teachings on mindset, personal protection, and the armed lifestyle in a new Gun Digest book, just out in January. As a fan of Tom’s practical assessment of and responses to violent crime faced by citizens of all ages, genders and walks of life, I am happy to see his instruction for those going armed compiled in an easy-to-read format that serves as a great refresher for old hands and a compelling introduction for those new to firearms.
Editor’s Notebook
by Gila Hayes
The variety of questions my team and I answer daily is diverse and sometimes we are a little surprised how many basic questions come from members who have been part of our family for years and years. Sometimes the questions smack of wishful thinking–maybe if I ask nicely, I’ll get some extra goodies. As I often respond, “Nothing wrong with asking!” I thought our readers might enjoy a taste of some of the questions and answers–and as a useful side effect, you’ll know a little more about how your Network membership benefits work and what we do to make sure we’re good stewards of the Network’s all-important Legal Defense Fund – reserved for all the expenses of mounting a vigorous legal defense after self defense. After all, no matter how easy it is to be distracted by minutiae, we best succeed by always keeping our highest goal firmly in mind.
About this Journal
The eJournal of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc. is published monthly on the Network’s website at http://armedcitizensnetwork.org/our-journal. Content is copyrighted by the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc.