Canton Teaching Students To Fight Back Against Violent Intruders
CANTON (CBS) - Canton Schools are training teachers and students to fight back against violent intruders. "It's something different, but really it isn't," says Superintendent Jeff Granatino. "A lot of the strategies are similar to the strategies we have in place right now."
Canton already has the kind of lockdown drills most schools around the country implemented after the infamous Columbine attack. Now, local police are taking that a step further, teaching staff and students to fight back. "It could be voice distractions. It could be putting things between you and the intruder, everything and anything that will take their attention away from our students and staff," says Granatino.
Staff already started the training, and soon police plan to teach students. "I always thought in the back of my head during lockdown drills, 'What is going to one side of the room going to do for us?' I always thought to protect our lives, we need more," said high school junior Janae Bruce-Smith.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Mary Blake reports
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So far, parents seem to approve. "Kids and teachers and staff need to be able to defend themselves," said Jamie Carr as she waited to pick up her son from school Friday.
Administrators and police plan to explain the program at a school board meeting next week.
