By Police1 Staff
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, Pa. — A Pennsylvania superintendent is facing criticism after telling lawmakers that students in his school district will be armed with rocks in case of a school shooting.
WNEP reports that earlier this month, Blue Mountain School District Superintendent Dr. David Helsel testified to the House Education Committee about his unusual plan to arm students with “river stone” rocks.
“Every classroom has been equipped with a five-gallon bucket of river stone. If an armed intruder attempts to gain entrance into any of our classrooms, they will face a classroom full students armed with rocks and they will be stoned,” Helsel said.
Helsel said the rocks are the “right size for hands” and students can “throw them very hard and they will create or cause pain, which can distract” the shooter.
Helsel said students and staff already have been given active shooter training through ALICE and routinely hold evacuation drills.
But the superintendent said that if a teacher locks down a classroom, there will be rocks that students can throw as a last resort if the shooter gets inside.
The superintendent’s comments gained national attention and sparked criticism. Helsel said he has received numerous phone calls about his comments, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.
Helsel defended his plan and said his comments were taken “completely out of context.” He added that the “first response is to evacuate” if possible.
On Sunday, Hesel said the school district will bring “additional armed security for our buildings” over concerns that “something may happen” following the media attention his comments received, Lehigh Valley Live reports. He said the district will “continue to reevaluate” the use of armed security going forward.
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