"Meh. Criminals will get guns anyhow and this will happen again, so we might as well roll over and allow it. Fight fire with fire" That's how I read the above response. Arming any teacher with a gun or pepper spray is just a concession that acts like Newtown are just a part of life now and in my opinion, that's the most tragic response. Besides, the guns used in Newtown and so many other slaughters have been legally obtained. So the argument that criminals will illegally obtain firearms doesn't apply here. For anyone who is a gun enthusiast, I cannot for the life of me figure why you'd ever need or want a gun that shoots hundreds of rounds of ammunition. What would you possibly need a gun like that for? Hunting? Sport? I truly cannot fathom the answer. For all the fans of the Second Amendment, I do wish that there was a bit more education. It speaks of a "well armed militia." It was written in a time when British Soldiers were being housed in Colonist's homes. And there were no assault rifles. So which militia are you interested in joining? Want to know where my opinion comes from? Well, my father was a police officer for 27 years, now works as an investigator with the State's Attorney. He sees the effects of gun ownership every single day and as an adult has shared with me some of the horror he has seen over his career. I grew up miles from Sandy Hook and all of the landmarks you are seeing on TV are personally familiar to me. AND the one thing that created my strongest opinion on gun ownership: I was robbed at gunpoint in the lobby of my apartment building in 1996. In the moment that I was looking down the barrel of a semi-automatic handgun while I handed over my car keys, my purse and every bit of identification and every credit card I owned, it made not a speck of difference if the guy pointing a gun at me had a permit or not. (For all I know he obtained it legally at a gun show.) In the many years that have followed, this event never left me, and I will admit it affects me greatly at times. I do hope that this is not something that you have ever had to experience. However, it did raise one question for me that I have yet to find a reasonable answer. Aside from historical value of older guns as antiques, what could possibly draw another human being to want a machine that serves no other purpose than to harm and kill? Aside from all this, yes it is human nature to want to act, to "do something" to keep our children safe. However, currently, the 'right to bear arms' is infringing upon the right of my children to attend school without fear of a gunman entering the building. Your right to carry a weapon ends at my child's right to live his life in freedom, with liberty, and in pursuit of happiness. My child belongs at the head of his class, reading, writing and practicing arithmetic, not crouching in a cubby waiting for some person to exercise their second amendment rights. Trust me, if it could happen in Sandy Hook (bucolic & quiet; where the town landmark is a flagpole and the biggest event of the year is the fireman's parade) it could happen in Shrewsbury. 20,000 gun laws on the books, you say. But Sandy Hook happened anyway. It's time to start over and get it right, not shrug and walk away. View Comment

About the Paton School Playground: The Paton School Playground was demolished in the spring of 2011 due to safety concerns and must be completely rebuilt. The challenge in rebuilding an appropriate play space for the students is huge. The economic climate in both Shrewsbury and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts preclude the school from acquiring public money to support the project. While the fundraising challenge has been fierce ($60,000 total), it is not an insurmountable task. For nearly two decades, the children of our community have come to Paton School in the heart of Shrewsbury to play on the playground as the school is located directly across the street from town sports fields. In a society where children are trending towards in-door play, computer games, video games and television -- it is the goal of the Paton School PTO as well as the Paton Community at large to have a playground that promotes a healthy and balanced approached to wellness for both Paton students and the children of Shrewsbury. Additional information on the Paton Playground Rebuild Project: http://paton.wordpress.com/playground/ View Comment