One of the few things I think Government Mandated Prisons, I mean schools, should do.

Dave Kopel has an fine, instructional editorial at National Review Online.

What did surprise me, is the most famous of failures this policy has had, was not referenced, which was the visit of Israeli Junior High School students to Jordan's Island of Peace in 1997.

More on the prevention of school children massacres can be found here.

On a side note, I remember when, several years ago, in response to school shootings, the school district that my children attended had initiated a policy that whenever an emergency happened, all of the children were to be taken to one exit at the school and only that one exit. Several others and I, quickly pointed that what this policy created was a perfect kill zone for any nut to take advantage of. When I explained this to the principal, even though he had his military awards (he had been in the reserves) on his wall, became extremely agitated and could not comprehend why I thought this. I had to slowly explain to him, by asking him to remember his basic training what a kill-zone was and how he had been taught to take advantage of one when the enemy was this stupid. He understood after ten minutes and had me call the district's man in charge of security. He explained that this policy had come down from Washington, D. C.; it was reversed.

--WP