Pols stunned shooting range operating at high school

[Mike1911]

Pols stunned shooting range operating at high school
Aim to stop it

By Mike Underwood | Saturday, January 5, 2008 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Coverage
Shocked city councilors are probing how school officials have allowed a Southie classroom to be used as a firing range by Junior ROTC students.

Education and public safety leaders were stunned to hear that a basement classroom in Monument High School on G Street is used by the military group to teach teenagers how to fire air rifles at targets.

“I’m shocked and surprised to hear that this is even happening. I don’t think it is appropriate at all,” said Councilor Chuck Turner, chairman of the council education committee.

Ten city schools run junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs, designed to promote citizenship and teach youngsters self-discipline, and Monument High has approved the firing range.

A total of 186 students at the South Boston Education Complex are currently enrolled in JROTC with 29 from Monument High - 18 of them on the marksmanship team.

East Boston High School has also had a marksmanship range and team for about three years.

Councilor Stephen J. Murphy, chairman of the city’s public safety committee, is a fan of the ROTC program but wants to put an end to classroom firing ranges.

“It has to be stopped inside a public school and there has to be a question over who supervises this. It definitely needs to be called into question,” he said.

A youth worker who works to steer kids away from gun violence was stunned by the news.

“I can’t believe a school could condone the use of any weapons. What kind of message are they giving to the kids?” asked Maurice Nobles Jr., a life skills manager at Bird Street Community Center in Dorchester.

A school employee notified the Herald about the practice after seeing two teenagers firing weapons at targets without supervision or warning signs in a locked classroom in early December.

But Boston Public Schools spokesman Jonathan Palumbo said,“There is no state law that prohibits such activities. Every safety precaution is taken, both for the students involved and anyone else who may be in the building at the time of the practice.”

ROTC spokesman Paul Kotakis said individual schools decide whether marksmanship training can be given on school property and that it is not unusual for schools to allow the practice.

JROTC regulations require students to have completed a training course before being allowed to fire weapons on a range, and they must be supervised by an instructor at all times.

Kotakis said students train using model 853 Daisy air rifles, which use manually pumped air to fire .177 caliber pellets. The weapon is designed for high accuracy.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1064706

 

[kevin9]

Moonbat, hoplophobic, nanny state, ninnies.

 

[doobie]

“I can’t believe a school could condone the use of any weapons. What kind of message are they giving to the kids?”

The kind of message that the schools are 10000% responsibly for every thing your kid learns that you disagree with and 0% responsibly for everything you agree with.

 

[ateamrob]

I think its a fantastic idea..... finally a school who is teaching kids the responsible way to use weapons and to make sport out of it instead of crime.
The fact that this does not happen any more is exactly the reason why kids grow up using guns in negative ways... No one ever spends the time teaching kids the safety and responsible ways..

good for them..

 

[Jedhed]

A youth worker who works to steer kids away from gun violence was stunned by the news.

“I can’t believe a school could condone the use of any weapons. What kind of message are they giving to the kids?” asked Maurice Nobles Jr., a life skills manager at Bird Street Community Center in Dorchester.

A program such as this absolutely steers kids away from gun violence. After taking the training course and shooting on a range I would bet that none of these kids will be walking around with a unregistered pistol tucked into the back of their pants...

 

[Twigg]

A glimmer of hope in Meninostan

A youth worker who works to steer kids away from gun violence was stunned by the news.

“I can’t believe a school could condone the use of any weapons. What kind of message are they giving to the kids?” asked Maurice Nobles Jr., a life skills manager at Bird Street Community Center in Dorchester.

Geeze; ya'd think they were having them shooting airsoft glocks sideways from the back of a honda civic so they could do a "proper" drive-by.

Instead what we have are responsible young adults learning correct firearms handling and safety while developing self-discipline, building confidence and allowing the cadets to compete in a recreational sport.

Personally, my child is learning his life skills from me & the Mrs. NOT from some socalist hack from the .gov.

 

[Twigg]

A program such as this absolutely steers kids away from gun violence. After taking the training course and shooting on a range I would bet that none of these kids will be walking around with a unregistered pistol tucked into the back of their pants...

Excellent first post !

Welcome to the forum !

 

[FPrice]

Do any of these people understand what ROTC stands for, what it does, and what the military does? Do they have any comprehension of what positive standards programs like these teach to young people?

But why do we bother asking if these idiots understand.

 

[KimberCT]

Anyone else just get incredibly angry and frustrated reading articles like these?

 

[bpm990d]

Anyone else just get incredibly angry and frustrated reading articles like these?

This pattern of behavior has been going on for decades. Honestly this stuff is not new; it's par for the course these days. Years ago when this type of BS was new to me it made me angry and frustrated. Now I just accept that there are morons and incompetents at all levels of society.

B

 

[pdm]

Anyone else just get incredibly angry and frustrated reading articles like these?

Yeah, I can't believe my high school didn't have a range! I missed out!

 

[Aragorn243]

I happen to be the scorer for our High School's rifle team.

Yes, we actaully have one. There are six schools in the league and they are not using Daisy pump BB guns. They are using not quite top of the line (due to cost) competitive air rifles probably just a step or two below Olympic grade. The six schools all have proper ranges inside the schools complete with periodic lead inspections etc.

My daughter was a 4 year varsity letterman.

Teams are not large, they start out with about 30 trying out and are weeded down to about 20 that practice and 10 that compete each week. Top five scores out of the ten count toward the competitive final score.

I believe they use .177 lead pellets on a ten shot target for a maximum score of 100. The rifles use self contained compressed air which allows them about 500 shots between refills. They carry them individually into and out of the schools to and from matches (cased) and occasionally, one of them wins "Athlete of the week".

 

[Jarhead]

I can rember shooting in the attic of Malden High School in the 70's. I shot for Watertown in the Middlesex Scholastic Rifle League.

 

[GLOCK.Perfection]

jeesh, i went to one of the roughest highschools on the east coast (new bedford) and we still have a shooting range, not for airsoft, real firearms. As far as i know they only use 22's. up till my sophmore year they had an event where every student could come down and shoot, and the top shooters won turkeys (around thanksgiving.... Im pretty sure the jROTC still uses the range, but dont quote me on that.)

 

[Scrivener]

“I can’t believe a school could condone the use of any weapons. What kind of message are they giving to the kids?” asked Maurice Nobles Jr., a life skills manager at Bird Street Community Center in Dorchester.

I just have to ask: What IS a "Life Skills Manager?"

And what "skills" do they purport to provide that cannot be matched by learning the discipline and focus acquired on the range?

 

[Lugnut]

I know Ross might not appreciate this but... sometimes people are just ass wipes! Maybe some idiots should realize that guns aren't always used as 'weapons' and that yes, sometimes people need to learn how to use guns before they learn how to use them as weapons.

Every day I grow older I grow wiser to the fact that there are more and more morons in this world.

 

[matt]

Do any of these people understand what ROTC stands for, what it does, and what the military does? Do they have any comprehension of what positive standards programs like these teach to young people?
But why do we bother asking if these idiots understand.

Yes, they understand very well, which is why they want ROTC and J-ROTC GONE!!! Even without this great program being uncovered.

No, they have no concept of this...

 

[kevin9]

I just have to ask: What IS a "Life Skills Manager?"

To be charitable, a surrogate parent or big brother; to be nasty, a ghetto lifestyle enabler.

Interestingly, going to their web site I could not seem to find Mr. Nobles anywhere in their staff, management or board listings.

And what "skills" do they purport to provide that cannot be matched by learning the discipline and focus acquired on the range?

There ya go again counselor trying to apply logic and reason when we all know that "it's for the children".

 

[FPrice]

I just have to ask: What IS a "Life Skills Manager?"

And what "skills" do they purport to provide that cannot be matched by learning the discipline and focus acquired on the range?

It used to be called a "parent", an archaic position/job in some sub-cultures that have dispensed with personal responsibility, especially in the child-rearing area.

 

[JimB]

pissed

Really does show how dumb some folks are...

JimB

 

[Admin]

Anyone else just get incredibly angry and frustrated reading articles like these?

I do.

 

[MaverickNH]

When they close the range, I guess it's back to violent video games rather than punching holes in paper. Tell me how that's better?

 

[sig shooter]

when i was growing up i sucked at all sports and i was over weight, the shooting sports were the only thing that gave me confidence when i was a young chubby guy... im 19 now and i lost 100lbs from 300lbs to 200lbs
i dont know what the problem is with kids learning how to use firearms in a responible manner maybe school officals dont know that all kids are not athletic and some kids could careless about playing ball and they crave somthing different...maybe some kids would rather run through the woods and be free and go rabbit hunting...... maybe the school officals would rather them become all crack addics to push the welfare system than be responsible adults and have pure fun.

 

[Scrivener]

It used to be called a "parent", an archaic position/job in some sub-cultures that have dispensed with personal responsibility, especially in the child-rearing area.

"Archaic" indeed. I believe you refer to a time in history when:

1. Females actually knew which male fathered the child they spawned; and

2. Were even in a formal, committed relationship with them for the purpose of providing such "parenting."

I seem to recall reading some papyrus scrolls referring to this system........

 

[matt]

"Archaic" indeed. I believe you refer to a time in history when:

1. Females actually knew which male fathered the child they spawned; and

2. Were even in a formal, committed relationship with them for the purpose of providing such "parenting."

I seem to recall reading some papyrus scrolls referring to this system........

Funny, you don't look that old in your avatar...

 

[Scrivener]

Funny, you don't look that old in your avatar...

She's my "trophy avatar."

 

[FPrice]

She's my "trophy avatar."

Scriv,

You ain't got a hair on your fourth point of contact if you don't bring her to an NES shoot!

 

[Scrivener]

I'm not sure I even want an explanation.....

 

[dwarven1]

Anyone else just get incredibly angry and frustrated reading articles like these?

Yup. The phrase you're looking for is "RCOB" - Red Curtain Of Blood. The one that descends over your eyes when you read trash like the Herald just published, that is.

I know Ross might not appreciate this but... sometimes people are just ass wipes! Maybe some idiots should realize that guns aren't always used as 'weapons' and that yes, sometimes people need to learn how to use guns before they learn how to use them as weapons.

Every day I grow older I grow wiser to the fact that there are more and more morons in this world.

Unfortunately, Dave, they're pretty well brainwashed here in this state to believe the GUNS=BAD. And Children + Guns = Horrific.

As my father used to put it, somewhere there's a big pile of horse's heads... because there are so many other ends running around!

"Archaic" indeed. I believe you refer to a time in history when:

1. Females actually knew which male fathered the child they spawned; and

2. Were even in a formal, committed relationship with them for the purpose of providing such "parenting."

I seem to recall reading some papyrus scrolls referring to this system........

That would be in the 1960's, Keith. Although it may surprise some, I'm a product of such a relationship.

 

[KMaurer]

Do any of these people understand what ROTC stands for, what it does, and what the military does?

Isn't the military that group that we send to areas of the world troubled by violence in order to help keep peace by showing yellow warning cards to people carrying guns and red cards to those who actually fire them at others? I thought that's what Madeline Albright said on CNN.

Ken