Bulletproof backpacks

[Kacey]

Dads push bulletproof backpacks in schools

It’s back-to-school time so load up with those pencils, notebooks, rulers and, of course, a bullet-deflecting backpack, if you buy the pitch of the security accessory’s Danvers inventors.
Dads Mike Pelonzi, 43, and Joe Curran, 42, dreamed up the bullet-proof backpack, which also blunts knife attacks, to protect their own children after witnessing the Columbine massacre in 1999.
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The backpacks, which will cost $175, have a super-lightweight bullet-proof plate sewn into the back which weighs no more than a bottle of water. Pelonzi said the material used is a secret.

The plate material meets National Institute of Justice safety standards, said Pelonzi, and during a three-year testing phase, stood up to bullets as well as machete, hatchet and Ka-bar knife attacks.

Boston Public Schools said school chiefs would need to see the product before making a decision on whether kids could use them or not.

&#8220;It seems to me that it would not serve our district-wide dress code which says that students cannot wear anything which is threatening or offensive,&#8221; said Jonathan Palumbo, Boston Public Schools spokesman.

I saw this story recently. I'm not sure which concerns me more; that parents think their children need such things, or that the school district is considering not allowing them because they might be "threatening or offensive".

 

[Makalakumu]

These kinds of products are sick. They play on the fear mongering culture that rots American courage and turns us all into easily controlled sheep. Someone should market insulating shoes to protect school children from lightning strikes, because kids have a far greater chance of dying from those...oh wait, they never say that **** on the news do they?

 

[Drac]

Dads push bulletproof backpacks in schools

I saw this story recently. I'm not sure which concerns me more; that parents think their children need such things, or that the school district is considering not allowing them because they might be "threatening or offensive".

Offensive??? Have they listened to some of the music these kids are listening to???

 

[morph4me]

Could it be that they're afraid that some kid might hit another one with his backpack in one of those random backpack attacks that are in the news all the time?

School districts are notorious for worrying more about litigation than people. I once offered to do a self defense course for the teachers in my wife's district, there was alot of interest from the teachers union, but I wasn't allowed to do it because "if a teacher defended him/herself with something that the district allowed to be taught, the district could be sued. " Shortly after that a pregnant teacher was beaten with a hammer by a student who was failing her class.

 

[Drac]

Could it be that they're afraid that some kid might hit another one with his backpack in one of those random backpack attacks that are in the news all the time?

School districts are notorious for worrying more about litigation than people. I once offered to do a self defense course for the teachers in my wife's district, there was alot of interest from the teachers union, but I wasn't allowed to do it because "if a teacher defended him/herself with something that the district allowed to be taught, the district could be sued. " Shortly after that a pregnant teacher was beaten with a hammer by a student who was failing her class.

[OFF TO TOPIC RESPONSE] You would be surprised how many times during the school year the local LEO's respond to the HS on a teacher assaulted by a student call..This **** didn't happen before 696-kids came to exsistance..If you got stupid with a teacher when I was in school you got your butt whipped.[END]

 

[Makalakumu]

School districts are notorious for worrying more about litigation than people. I once offered to do a self defense course for the teachers in my wife's district, there was alot of interest from the teachers union, but I wasn't allowed to do it because "if a teacher defended him/herself with something that the district allowed to be taught, the district could be sued. " Shortly after that a pregnant teacher was beaten with a hammer by a student who was failing her class.

If a kid came after me with a hammer, I'll be damned if I'm going to worry about a lawsuit.

 

[Kacey]

Could it be that they're afraid that some kid might hit another one with his backpack in one of those random backpack attacks that are in the news all the time?

School districts are notorious for worrying more about litigation than people. I once offered to do a self defense course for the teachers in my wife's district, there was alot of interest from the teachers union, but I wasn't allowed to do it because "if a teacher defended him/herself with something that the district allowed to be taught, the district could be sued. " Shortly after that a pregnant teacher was beaten with a hammer by a student who was failing her class.

Oh, I've offered to teach classes at my school, and people always express interest... but nothing ever comes of it, and they won't go to the district's CPI (Conflict Prevention and Intervention) class either, which is basically verbal de-escalation followed by 1 and 2-person holds for kids who won't de-escalate.

 

[jks9199]

Personal opinion...

These backpacks are silly. All they've done is put a panel of body armor (don't know exactly which style; they're reticent on details) in place of the foam pad many backpacks provide to cushion the user's back from the crap inside.

Odds are that they won't provide much actual protection. At best, they're maybe enough to cover the chest or back... More likely, in the event of a shooting situation, they'll be under a desk, in a cubby or locker, or otherwise not available.

As noted by others... this is playing to fears in the worst way.

 

[MA-Caver]

[OFF TO TOPIC RESPONSE] You would be surprised how many times during the school year the local LEO's respond to the HS on a teacher assaulted by a student call..This **** didn't happen before 696-kids came to exsistance..If you got stupid with a teacher when I was in school you got your butt whipped.[END]

Amen to that bruddah, my classmates and I lived in fear of the terrible wooden paddle carried by many a teacher (male and female) and we knew the consenquences of screwing around or screwing up badly during class or fighting (anytime). But those bleeding hearts who were the whiny kids of our day(s) grew up to be bleeding heart lawyers who as adults now have the P-O-W-E-R to litigate anything and everything, thus call teacher disciplinary action(s) illegal, immoral and not their responsibility. I recall double punishment in those days 1 from the teacher and 1 from my folks when I had to bring home a note to be signed by either one of them.

School districts are notorious for worrying more about litigation than people. I once offered to do a self defense course for the teachers in my wife's district, there was a lot of interest from the teachers union, but I wasn't allowed to do it because "if a teacher defended him/herself with something that the district allowed to be taught, the district could be sued. " Shortly after that a pregnant teacher was beaten with a hammer by a student who was failing her class.

You might want to consider sending each of those "interested" teachers a private note offering a "private class" that would have nothing to do with the school (district) itself... :wink1: :wink2: if you haven't done so already... WINK!

If a kid came after me with a hammer, I'll be damned if I'm going to worry about a lawsuit.

AMEN to that... provided it's an upperclassman in H.S. dunno about middle-school aged kids though it could happen. Probably just do the disarm thing and drag that kid to the principal's office.

While the bulletproof backpack has merits it is a fear-tactic way to get folks to spend money. There are other cost effective ways to ensure the safety of the children as they attend school. The last high-school I attended (North Dallas High in TX) had several armed city LEO's roaming the halls with at least one on duty at all times on campus. There were fights but they were all regulated to fisticuffs and no weaponry. If ANY weapon were to be found it was confiscated (as evidence) and the student hauled off to jail for assault with a deadly weapon. So the highly volatile mix of whites, blacks, hispanics & asians in that school kept their cool and kept the fights to just good-ole fashioned school yard scuffles.
But that was roughly 25 - 30 years ago. Now with the "gang-banga" mentality and so forth, guns are the norm for the ultimate "gonna get cha sucka". Something I couldn't understand and I still don't. In my day you bring a weapon into a fight and everyone would just laugh at you and call you a *****... for the rest of the year!
The bulletproof backpack is a money-making venture which doesn't take into account of the thousands of school-yard fights that take place each year being nothing more than fists and feet and lots of rolling around on the ground type fights. The spate of school shootings is horrifically tragic yes, but as stated earlier by upnorthkyosa more rarer than the dreaded lightning strike or shark attack.
Likewise a bullet-proof backpack only protects the back. Not the sides, head and front torso/abdomen. How many kids are going to walk around with it on their backs all the time and every single day and will they wear one during Gym class? Get real!

 

[Kacey]

And as someone else mentioned... many schools won't allow kids to carry their backpacks around anyway - largely for reasons related to space; if every kid in the school where I teach carried their backpacks to every class, the hallway congestion would be even worse than it already is - so they come in in the morning, put their backpacks in their lockers, and leave them there until the end of school. At that point, it won't matter how much armor the pack has, or how well it works - because the kids won't have the packs with them.

 

[Phoenix44]

As noted by others... this is playing to fears in the worst way.

Nah, this is as American as apple pie: making money by creating anxiety.

 

[Carol]

I dunno...I've met one of the fellows that designed the backpack so I may be a bit biased but...I don't really mind the idea. If a parent wants to buy a $175 backpack for their kid, that's their choice.

To me it seems that after every school shooting, there is someone that asks "What can we do about events like this?" ... or "Why doesn't someone do something?" or worse, someone that asks "Well, why wasn't (this) done?"

So...this is one of those "somebodies" that is trying to "do something" by making a backpack that their website states could be used as a shield.

Perhaps the introduction of a product such as this will get more families to think seriously about the importance of self-defense. If it does, that's a very good thing, IMO. :asian:

 

[LuzRD]

id like to add that while these backpacks may not be insurance against injury or worse, if they save a few lives theyre worth having imo.

dont forget that school kids arent always in school. somthing like this could potentially save a kid just trying to walk home

how many times do we hear about some kid that was killed by a stray bullet while they were waiting for the bus, or playing in the park, or just sitting in front of thier house?
i know this pack wouldnt help most of those cases, however if it hasnt happened yet it likely will happen (unfortunately of course!!) that a kid will be wearing a backpack and will be shot in the back. now if some product like this helps that 1 kid then its money well spent imo (not as well spent as educating/reprimanding the parents of the kids that cause products like this to be developed, but thats an entirely different story!!)

 

[MJS]

Hmm..maybe I'm not not following things here, but I have a few questions.

1) How is a backpack threatening or offensive?

2) What is the purpose of this 'creation'? What are the kids supposed to do, hold it in front of them in the event someone starts shooting in the school? Sorry, I guess I'm not following. If its on the kids back, the chest is exposed. If they're holding it in front of them, the back is exposed. Its not a bullet proof vest like a LEO would wear.

 

[Carol]

Hmm..maybe I'm not not following things here, but I have a few questions.

1) How is a backpack threatening or offensive?

The administration of the Boston Public Schools see it as a threat because they want Boston parents to believe they can take better care of the kids than their parents can is how I read it. Typical city politics. Wish I could say its changed since I left the city 10+ years ago but I don't think it has.

2) What is the purpose of this 'creation'? What are the kids supposed to do, hold it in front of them in the event someone starts shooting in the school? Sorry, I guess I'm not following. If its on the kids back, the chest is exposed. If they're holding it in front of them, the back is exposed. Its not a bullet proof vest like a LEO would wear.

http://www.mychildspack.com/My_Child_s_Pack_for_school.html

 

[Makalakumu]

You've got to think about the odds. A kid is thousands of times more likely to be killed crossing the street then they are in a school shooting. How about spending a few bucks on some bright colored clothing? See my point?

Carol, I honestly doubt that these guys intentionally went out to design a product that would play off of the general publics fears. My intuition tells me that they are unconciously plugged into this matrix and that they are thinking one step ahead of the game. Basically, they are out sheeping the sheep.

This doesn't change the fact that this product says something really sick about our society. I've taken this article and posted it on some of the international boards that I belong to and everyone with an outside perspective thinks that this is beyond imagination. My friends from overseas (even Canada) cannot even conceive of a possible need for such a thing and they wouldn't want to raise children in a place that this is even remotely possible.

And the sad thing is, in the US, it isn't even remotely possible. For school kids in Iraq, maybe, but here, no.

The talking heads tell us what to believe though. They shape our reality despite the data.

 

[MJS]

The administration of the Boston Public Schools see it as a threat because they want Boston parents to believe they can take better care of the kids than their parents can.

Well, given the school shootings that take place, you have to wonder about the schools protection methods.

http://www.mychildspack.com/My_Child_s_Pack_for_school.html

While wearing the back pack it offers upper torso coverage on the back or it can be used as a shield for frontal protection of the head and upper body. Now, affordable protection is available, sealed in a lightweight back pack for everyday use.

I suppose a better judgement would be able to be passed if I actually saw one in person. In any case, it can only protect either the front or back at one time. I have to wonder about the material though. Is it the same quality as you'd find in a vest for a cop? Only reason I ask is because I'd want it to be the same if I was going to a) buy one and b) rely on it to save a life.

Mike

 

[Makalakumu]

I suppose a better judgement would be able to be passed if I actually saw one in person. In any case, it can only protect either the front or back at one time. I have to wonder about the material though. Is it the same quality as you'd find in a vest for a cop? Only reason I ask is because I'd want it to be the same if I was going to a) buy one and b) rely on it to save a life.

I see your point, but I have to ask, what is the logical solution? Do we dress our children in body armor in order to go to school? I mean, if you are really afraid of being shot, that makes the most logical sense.

Then again, do you really want to dress your kids in body armor in order to send them off to school? Think about that...

I think about my two little ones and I can't even imagine letting them grow up in a society where that is even a thought.

In the bulk of the civilized world it isn't.

Think about it.

 

[MJS]

I see your point, but I have to ask, what is the logical solution? Do we dress our children in body armor in order to go to school? I mean, if you are really afraid of being shot, that makes the most logical sense.

Then again, do you really want to dress your kids in body armor in order to send them off to school? Think about that...

I think about my two little ones and I can't even imagine letting them grow up in a society where that is even a thought.

In the bulk of the civilized world it isn't.

Think about it.

Just for clarification, I'm not saying that I'm buying one, nor am I suggesting that everyone run out and buy one. IMHO, I think that way too often, people try to capitalize on the fears of others. 9/11 happens, because we're lax in security, security is then increased, but the fear of flying is instilled in people. Same thing with the recent bridge collapse. If I thought about accidents every time I got into my car, I'd never go anywhere.

Moral of the story...live your life normally, not in constant fear of a tragedy. Not saying to walk with your head in the clouds, unaware of your surroundings, but a bullet-proof backpack...sorry, I don't walk around with a backpack on 24/7, so I'll save the $100+ and go about my daily business.

Mike

 

[Sukerkin]

[OFF TO TOPIC RESPONSE] You would be surprised how many times during the school year the local LEO's respond to the HS on a teacher assaulted by a student call..This **** didn't happen before 696-kids came to exsistance..If you got stupid with a teacher when I was in school you got your butt whipped.[END]

I can confirm that as recently as twenty or thirty years ago this was true over here in England too. Spot-on-target observation, Drac, with the addition, as Caver has said, that if you got punished for something at school you got it worse once you go home .

The bullet-proof backpack is an absurd idea in that it is a response to a problem that should not exist (not that it's idiotic in and of itself, just that it's an inappropriate response to the environment of fear that has been allowed to grow).