It didn't take a march out of a school for the leaders in Middleboro, Massachusetts to protect the children in their public schools. It just took leadership and local control.

Across America, the leaders in public schools led their students to rally on public property in support of a political position favored by a large wing of a political party. The taxpayer-funded resources of America's public schools were used by public employees and political activists to rally in favor of gun control.

The children, who rallied under the direction of their teachers and the political operatives Wednesday, are no safer from violence than they were before they participated in a government-sponsored walk out.

That is, unless they live in the nice town of Middleboro. Actually, Middleboro students were safer even before the politically motivated walkouts.

While the politicians were arranging a rally using kids to promote their own careers, a group of local leaders was meeting quietly and seriously about the children they are responsible for protecting every day, even on the days when the media isn't there.

In the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that town's elected officials and superintendent of schools blamed the federal government and the lawful gun owners who belong to the NRA. In one small New England town, however, the people who understand their responsibility as leaders moved rapidly to protect their schools.

General Eisenhower and the commanders at Allied headquarters didn't plan a publicity stunt as an answer to evil--they planned and executed a decisive response.

According to a recent article in The Brockton Enterprise by Eileen Reece, the elected and appointed leaders in Middleboro met to develop a plan to secure the town's public schools. Chairman of the Board of Selectman Allin Frawley, Police Chief Joseph Perkins, Town Manager Robert Nunes, School Committee Chairman Richard Young, and the command staff of the police department were all in attendance at the meeting.

Notice who was there, and who wasn't there. This wasn't a publicity stunt. This was a sober meeting about the worst event, and how serious people prevent it from happening to the people who trust them to protect their community.

Chairman Frawley told the reporter, "As a father of two small children in these schools, it's a number one priority. I can't express how grateful I am to have such a forward thinking staff, police, and school committee getting in front of this."

In addition to being a father, Frawley is also an outdoorsman, a gun owner, and a Democrat.

This exceptional group of local leaders decided to place a police officer in every public school in their town. They also likely made other decisions to protect the schools that are not for public disclosure, because it would compromise the defensive position.

Remember this: people are policy.

The public schools in Middleboro are safer today because serious people had a meeting and reached mature conclusions. If you live in that nice Massachusetts town, you are fortunate.

If your local leaders are at a rally on TV, you have a difficult future, especially if you are a school child.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. 

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