It would be good if our justice system protected schools as much as they protect themselves. To make a trip to the Clerk of Court, estate affairs or any other office in the courthouse, I have to take off my belt, empty my pockets and maybe take off my shoes. Also, I had better not have a simple flip phone.

I believe there is a solution to school shootings. We have a school budget of $177.3 million. If we increase this budget by only 2 percent, it would be enough more to pay 177 appropriately trained and uniformed guards at the  rate of  $2,222.22 per month for nine months a year. With 19,000 students, there would be one deputy per every 107 students. With 1,089 students at West Rowan High School, there would be 10.1 guards at that location alone.

School shootings are a local responsibility, not a federal responsibility. Maybe our county commissioners could do a survey and find out how many taxpayers would oppose a 2 percent school budget increase for the purpose of school protection. If students get the same protection as employees at the courthouse, I am sure the problem will go away. After all, courthouse employees don’t deserve more protection than students. Seems like a sheriff’s job to me.

— Delmar McDaniel

Salisbury