- Blue Mountain School District has put a bucket of river stones in every classroom
- David Helsel, president, says they are for ‘last-ditch’ attempt to fight off shooters
- Said teachers should bolt the door and arm students if they approach their class
David Helsel, president of the Blue Mountain School District, (pic this week) has placed a bucket of stones in all the classrooms under his control so students can make a ‘last-ditch’ attempt to fight off shooters
A Pennsylvania school district has stocked every classroom with a bucket of stones so students as young as four can use them to fight off shooters.
Blue Mountain School District has put a five-gallon bucket of river stones – which are smooth and used for landscaping – in the closet of every elementary, middle and high school classroom.
Students are encouraged to arm themselves with a stone and get out of the shooter’s line of sight rather crawl under their desks, which the president of the district believes makes them more vulnerable.
David Helsel told ABC News: ‘We’ve been trying to be proactive just in case.
‘We wanted to provide some type of last response to an intruder… rather than crawling under a desk and getting shot.’
Mr Hesel said he still advises teachers evacuate their students if an armed shooter gains access to a school building.
But if the intruder gets near a certain class, they should bolt the door and arm themselves with one of the stones.
These can be used if the shooter gains access, he said, adding: ‘How can you aim a gun if you’re being pelted with rocks?
‘While I don’t like that we need to do this, this response is better than doing nothing.’
Blue Mountain School District has 2,700 students and is located 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
The stones can be used if the shooter gains access, Helsel said, adding: ‘How can you aim a gun if you’re being pelted with rocks?’ Pictured: Blue Mountain Middle School
Advertisement