I read with interest the letter from Ian Ross recently printed in the Dec. 3 issue of your paper.
There is little to disagree with in Ian’s letter. I too have lived in Middlebury all my life and have watched our country change over the years. We no longer live in an insular society. But I have a perspective that can also be of value.
I spent 40 years as an educator in Vermont high schools. I have hunted for 58 years and mostly in Cornwall. I have also been a hunting safety instructor for many years for the State of Vermont, and since Columbine, I have taken seriously the issue of school safety.
Although I have serious doubts about whether the measures passed by our legislators and signed into law by our Governor will have the desired effect of making us safer in our present society, I must agree with Ian’s sentiments. We need to have a discussion about the rights to self-protection guaranteed by our Federal and State Constitutions. We also need to discuss how to make our schools a place where every parent feels their children are safe. I applaud the efforts made by our area schools to make their buildings safer.
I will look forward to that discussion
James M. Ross
Middlebury