- 15 Mar 2003
- 1,147
- 45
- 58
I lifted this off a different forum. No link though so I am taking it with a grain of salt. Sounds like Wai Wai, but I have a connection to this story -
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"Japanese lose faith in myth of safe society
From Richard Lloyd Parry and Leo Lewis in Tokyo
MASAKI HAYASHI, headmaster of North Senju Junior School in Tokyo, had been thinking about it for a long time, and after two incidents at the end of last year he knew exactly what to do.
At a school just like his in the neighbouring city of Yokohama a crazed man had walked in and waved a knife at the terrified pupils. A few weeks later in Kyoto two children were slashed by an intruder. Mr Hayashi did what school principals have been doing all over Japan: he ordered two medieval pole arms.
The 7ft weapons, mounted with a blunt U-shaped hook, are called sasumata, and yesterday afternoon the staff of North Senju conducted one of their regular sasumata drills. One teacher posed as an intruder, waving a toy knife; four others, wielding pole arms and Perspex riot shields, quickly pinned him to the ground, as their pupils looked on.
Round their necks all the children wear junior rape alarms. The teachers have a more sophisticated version, linked remotely to a panel in the staffroom. On the wall of every classroom is a red button, connected to police headquarters. The shields, pole arms and alarms alone have cost £7,500, and these security measures are typical of junior schools in Japan.
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At my elementary school we don't have the "rape alarms," or the plastic shields, but we do have one pole arm. I assure you it did not cost above 10,000 yen (about 80 USD). We have never had a drill, we live way, way out in the country, and have never had an incident. I remember being surprised when the polearm came, and I didn't know what it was for - it was a busy day and I didn't have time to listen to the discussion. Judging from the way teachers were laughing I thought it was just a wierd present.
"These security measures" are not typical - they are a product of fear. My elementary school has a polearm because someone gave it to the school. It even has a tag on it saying who it is from. I highly doubt anyone at my school could restrain anyone with it. The head on the polearm is so small (designed to catch a wrist or limb) that almost anyone could, even if restrained by it, gain control of the device and free themself.
I think mace would be a much better option. A single teacher could at least slow an attacker up. It seems like you need several from what is in the article (more teachers in danger too). With the polearm you have to restrain the person until the cops arrive. With mace you could spray them in the face, and again as many times as needed, as opposed to say, having to sever major tendons to keep them down
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"Japanese lose faith in myth of safe society
From Richard Lloyd Parry and Leo Lewis in Tokyo
MASAKI HAYASHI, headmaster of North Senju Junior School in Tokyo, had been thinking about it for a long time, and after two incidents at the end of last year he knew exactly what to do.
At a school just like his in the neighbouring city of Yokohama a crazed man had walked in and waved a knife at the terrified pupils. A few weeks later in Kyoto two children were slashed by an intruder. Mr Hayashi did what school principals have been doing all over Japan: he ordered two medieval pole arms.
The 7ft weapons, mounted with a blunt U-shaped hook, are called sasumata, and yesterday afternoon the staff of North Senju conducted one of their regular sasumata drills. One teacher posed as an intruder, waving a toy knife; four others, wielding pole arms and Perspex riot shields, quickly pinned him to the ground, as their pupils looked on.
Round their necks all the children wear junior rape alarms. The teachers have a more sophisticated version, linked remotely to a panel in the staffroom. On the wall of every classroom is a red button, connected to police headquarters. The shields, pole arms and alarms alone have cost £7,500, and these security measures are typical of junior schools in Japan.
---------
At my elementary school we don't have the "rape alarms," or the plastic shields, but we do have one pole arm. I assure you it did not cost above 10,000 yen (about 80 USD). We have never had a drill, we live way, way out in the country, and have never had an incident. I remember being surprised when the polearm came, and I didn't know what it was for - it was a busy day and I didn't have time to listen to the discussion. Judging from the way teachers were laughing I thought it was just a wierd present.
"These security measures" are not typical - they are a product of fear. My elementary school has a polearm because someone gave it to the school. It even has a tag on it saying who it is from. I highly doubt anyone at my school could restrain anyone with it. The head on the polearm is so small (designed to catch a wrist or limb) that almost anyone could, even if restrained by it, gain control of the device and free themself.
I think mace would be a much better option. A single teacher could at least slow an attacker up. It seems like you need several from what is in the article (more teachers in danger too). With the polearm you have to restrain the person until the cops arrive. With mace you could spray them in the face, and again as many times as needed, as opposed to say, having to sever major tendons to keep them down
