To the editor:

In response to Michael Broughton’s letter headlined “Arming teachers, school staff President Trump’s ‘latest idiotic idea,’” I say how is the current plan working with so-called secure entrances and school resource officers in some places?

If you think it is possible to keep guns out of the hands of every deranged person determined to do harm to defenseless children in our schools, I respectfully say you are naïve.

As it is now, we are offering an invitation to the worst in society to come in to our schools and wreak havoc with little resistance. A shooter knows there likely will not be a police presence for many minutes when minutes matter.

There needs to be a combination of im-provements in school security. But when all the rhetoric and good intentions fail, there needs to be a last line of defense.

This means providing options other than hiding under your desk, throwing books or charging unarmed toward an armed intruder.

I am not advocating issuing firearms to unwilling and untrained faculty and staff — nor is President Donald Trump. But I contend there is value to training those in house who are capable and willing to use a firearm to protect our children with more than words and their unarmed bodies.

All options should be on the table.

Terry Hildebrandt

Oakville