There are many reasons to be thankful your kids aren't educated in Alabama, but here's a new one.
As a "result of recent school shootings" some schools in Alabama are "arming ... students with a canned food item" to "stun the [school] intruder or even knock him out until police arrive."
Whatever happened to zero tolerance for weapons and rutabagas?
The suggested caliber of canned food is 8-ounce with a corn, pea or bean payload, according to a letter to parents written by middle school principal Priscella Holley and vice principal Donna Bell, who allege the food will empower students and make them feel safe.
Any canned foods not damaged by whomping intruders upside the head will be donated to a food drive at the end of the school year in Valley, Ala., located 80 miles south of Atlanta on I-85.
Superintendent of Chambers County Schools Dr. Kelli Hodge is on board with the plan.
"I can honestly say that the major point of the the training… is to be able to get kids evacuated and not be sitting ducks hiding under desks," said Hodge in an article on WHNT.com.
The idea to arm students comes from the ALICE program .
Alice, which used to mean a little girl in Wonderland, now stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. Having 12-year-olds hit gunmen with cans of corn must be part of "Counter."
Auburn University is helping with ALICE training, which is practiced by schools in 30 states. CNN posted a video from Auburn that shows students pelting a gunman with books and tackling him.
ALICE advertised a December 2013 event "hosted" by Westminster Schools in Atlanta, so I assume some Georgia schools may be arming kids with peaches in heavy syrup. The 2-day, $495 training was canceled , said a Westminster official who contacted me Wednesday.
When parents have to arm children so they feel safe at school, maybe it's time to cook up some homeschooling.
NOTE: This story was updated Wednesday with information about Westminster Schools and the Auburn video.
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