Is This Really A Problem?

I think this says more about the average legislator than it does schools:

Students in elementary and high schools should be prohibited from wearing bullet-proof vests and other body armor, legislation approved by a Louisiana House committee says.

Rep. Chris Hazel, R-Ball, author of House Bill 1153, told the committee he proposed the bill “trying to prevent a Columbine situation” at Louisiana schools, referring to the Colorado school massacre. He said he wanted to head off possible future problems and “we don’t want to be after the fact.”

That has got to be the silliest thing I’ve read this week. First, I have no idea why we need a law prohibiting something that, according to the article, has happened just once. Honestly, is this something kids are likely to do? Second, wouldn’t the presence of body armor have helped prevent some of the tragedies at Columbine? Your child has a better chance of getting hit by lightning on the way to school than getting shot in a “Columbine situation” but if we want to base public policy on fears of such a minuscule threat, oughtn’t the policy try to prevent the threat? Third, I can’t wait to explain the dress code to the kids next year: Blue shirts, kahki pants, and no kevlar.

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