Soon, twelve million French students will return to school.
This year, they will be accompanied by some unlikely cohorts — 3,000 troops who have been deployed by the French governement to provide security at these schools.
Terror-response training is also being implemented. Schools will be actively surveilled, and patrols will circle high schools and universities.
The Editorial Board believes the intent behind this decision is good. However, we doubt the effectiveness of such measures.
In the wake of recent terror attacks in France, there are certainly reasons to fear an attack on a school. However, we feel this move is reactionary. With open borders and a weak security record of late, the French are just trying to put in a stopgap to prevent a catastrophe in schools.
The move will cost about 50 million euros. The commitment to security is apparent, and French officials have meticulously attempted to clarify that this move is not to cede to panic or paranoia.
What are the consequences? The best-case scenario is that having French soldiers in schools will deter possible terror attacks. At worst? You have a shootout in the middle of a cafeteria filled with children.
Obviously, the French government feels this move is a necessary measure for school security. Whether they have intelligence about an upcoming attack or not, this is the path they have chosen.
We also feel this move may have unintended consequences. Having soldiers present in these schools can have untold effects on children. As they grow up, this generation of French children could be desensitized to the militarization of the police force. This could create a slippery slope for these kids in the future.
The next question pertains to how effective the training program will be. Of course, we hope its effectiveness doesn’t have to be proven.
The training will go primarily to students who are 13 and 14 years old. They will be taught life-saving measures, and anti-terror drills have been increased from two to three drills a year.
Unfortunately, an unarmed 14 year old doesn’t stand a chance against an armed terrorist. It remains to be seen whether the training program is effective, but the training they receive may be applicable in the future. All in all, we feel optimistic.
The French government is simply trying to protect its citizens. At the same time, the French have had a very painful time dealing with terror in the past year or so. Thus, we have some doubts as well.
It’s understandable that the French government is responding this way.
We feel the world has become more violent in recent years, and the wave of terror facing France and the rest of Western civilization is a real threat.
We just aren’t sure the French are directing their resources to combat the threat in an appropriate manner.
Either way, this decision to protect the future generation via active military training is truly a noble cause.
