# Colleges teach students to fight back



## KenpoTex (Aug 27, 2008)

Glad to see some college administrators are finally waking up...I still believe they should allow concealed carry on campus but this is a decent first step.  Maybe it will help to change the mindset of some people.


> Hundreds of colleges across the nation have purchased a training program that teaches professors and students not to take campus threats lying down but to fight back with any "improvised weapon," from a backpack to a laptop computer.
> 
> ...The training discourages cowering in a corner or huddling together in fear, Brouillette emphasized at the Kansas City session.


http://www.kansascity.com/440/story/767381.html


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 27, 2008)

Our local high school here in Central Mo has been doing a similar program for about a year.....I believe it's one copied from Texas where the students are taught to escape if they can, attack as a group if they cannot.  Use the spider-monkey defense where everyone picks up what is nearby and starts launching it at the attacker, be it book, desk or brick.


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## Andy Moynihan (Aug 27, 2008)

Better than nothing. Now if only we can get that to trickle down thru the lower grades, we might have a half a chance of salvaging this society.


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## shihansmurf (Aug 30, 2008)

I'm really glad to see this. How many lives would have been saved at Virginia Tech, or Colombine for that matter if the students had the means to have fought back. We have inculcated this victim mentality into our society for so long now that any effort to counter it should be lauded.

Mark


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## Josh Oakley (Aug 30, 2008)

I actually have Trinity Lutheran College paying me to give ALL their incoming students an introduction to the concepts of self defense.

This is the first college to my knowledge that is doing such a thing.


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## KenpoTex (Aug 30, 2008)

Josh Oakley said:


> I actually have Trinity Lutheran College paying me to give ALL their incoming students an introduction to the concepts of self defense.
> 
> This is the first college to my knowledge that is doing such a thing.


interesting...what types of things are you covering?


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## MA-Caver (Aug 30, 2008)

It is a start and a sad one at that. Not sad that they're starting it or the WAY they're starting it... sad that they deemed it necessary to start it. It's a late start when you think about the tragedy at Va. Tech. where this could've been helpful (i.e. the "spider-monkey" defense where a desk, book or chair(s) could've been thrown at the gunman...), or even earlier than that with Ted Bundy killing all those nurses in their dorm. 
Still the idea of getting them to act as a group should one of their own be attack needs to be done carefully and instructed carefully. A mob defensive mentality could go further than necessary. I don't know how many people it takes to make a "mob" but am thinking more than 3 is quite a bit for even a lone attacker. So care must be given that the "mob mentality" does not take over in a defensive situation. 
If I recall there are at some universities a "panic" button stationed some distance from each other (50 yards more or less) where a student can (even on the run) smack a large button positioned on a light pole or building wall that's near a sidewalk and it sends a flash alert to campus security with a strobing (blue) light above the button to help for a quick fix on location. Teaching students to run and also adding in a memorization of where such flash/alerts are located can help save a life. Most attackers would conceivably be from "off campus", but even if they are a fellow student they still have that disadvantage working against them. 
Yes, I think CWP should be allowed but that is a double edged sword. Remember the Va. Tech murderer was a student and was angry and anger doesn't always mean rationality. Many crimes/murders are "crimes of passion". 
Still defense is better than nothing. Teaching these techniques could help minimize campus crimes and even off campus crimes. I'm glad to see it and hope that it's implemented elsewhere.


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## still learning (Sep 1, 2008)

Hello,  There will times "fighting back" is the answer....I like the idea of all the kids throwing books...cell phones...and what ever they have in front of them.

Reactions has to be taught as an "instinct reactions"  or "response"  for the kids to survive any shootings!

Aloha,   Coconuts anyone?


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## terryl965 (Sep 1, 2008)

Josh Oakley said:


> I actually have Trinity Lutheran College paying me to give ALL their incoming students an introduction to the concepts of self defense.
> 
> This is the first college to my knowledge that is doing such a thing.


 
Sounds like agreat ideal and what are yout eaching for the newbies?


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## bowser666 (Sep 2, 2008)

I think this is a great idea. If anything it at least teaches people how to think more rationally as opposed to just freezing under fear and becoming a hopeless victim.


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## chinto (Sep 2, 2008)

KenpoTex said:


> Glad to see some college administrators are finally waking up...I still believe they should allow concealed carry on campus but this is a decent first step.  Maybe it will help to change the mindset of some people.
> 
> http://www.kansascity.com/440/story/767381.html




well about bloody time!  but ya i would like to see carry on campus for my state.. right now all the schools are just free fire zones for the wacko's and nut jobs who wish to injure and kill with impunity.  very scary to me that some idiot thinks because its against the rules some how the wacko and criminal will fallow the rules!!


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## Josh Oakley (Sep 3, 2008)

KenpoTex said:


> interesting...what types of things are you covering?


 

Basic striking, blocking, grab escapes, and situational awareness, as well as confidence and yelling "fire" instead of help. I also cover the concept of using whatever's on your person to fight back.


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## sgtmac_46 (Sep 5, 2008)

bowser666 said:


> I think this is a great idea. If anything it at least teaches people how to think more rationally as opposed to just freezing under fear and becoming a hopeless victim.


 Absolutely!  Any plan beats NO plan!

It's funny how just being exposed to the reality that they CAN fight back is a big first step for many of those folks.  'You mean...we CAN fight back?!'

Our local high school is doing a similar program.....teaching students to attack as a group.  It's hard to draw a bead and fire effectively when dozens of people are pelting you from all directions with desks, books, rocks, etc.  Add to that the fact that the MORONS who doing school shootings INEVITABLE expect it to go according to the game plan....in other words they have the format in their mind that they are going to stalk the halls and everyone is going to COWER at their feet....changing the game plan screws up their OODA loop and causes them to get stuck.

I actually suspect that the KNOWLEDGE that schools are teaching this kind of thing will act as a DETERRENT to folks with this mentality.  The knowledge that they will have a FIGHT not just a bunch of kids cowering at their feet.  These folks are cowards at heart, and do this because they gain power........fighting back takes their power.


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