Mass shooting generation

This headline appeared in the New York Times today, a terrible comment on the dangers faced by the current generation of American students. Schools and colleges across the US are now thinking to themselves, could they be the next target? It's a question that every teacher and school administrator need to ask. The students under their care deserve to be able to go to school each day without the fear of having a rebellious or vengeful ex-student coming to visit them with a bagful of weapons. There's litle point in having one or two more security guards to be on the lookout. It's obviously too easy for people who look like students to mingle with the crowds and then open fire. But more security is at the top of the list. But most important of all, every school should draw up a list of past students or expelled students who have shown even the slightest tendency towards violence, and then have their pictures and details up on a prominent wall near the front of the building so that everyone can be on the lookout. Would such a system have stopped the accused Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz from opening fire with his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle? Possibly, if he knew that his face and name were on the list of bad people to watch out for. Just maybe that would have put him off. The trouble is, schools cannot be turned into fortresses, but the very fact that one of the major American newspapers is now referring to the "mass shooting generation" makes it imperative for children to be given added protection. But first, ban guns for anyone under the age of 40. That would be a start.