Marlboro Township has announced that starting next week, when students return from winter break, they will be greeted with armed guards outside their schools.

It affects the five elementary schools, two middle schools, and early learning center in the district...and it's a bad idea.

The decision is a direct response to the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

Obviously we want to do everything possible to keep our kids safe, but this can't possibly be the answer.

I went to Marlboro Township schools and Mama C. now works in the Marlboro Early Learning Center.

I can't imagine being a young student and having to walk past an armed guard everyday. The guards will be members of the Marlboro Police Department, and of course, most children know that police officers are there to keep everyone safe.

It still seems like it could easily scare kids to have a cop outside all day. You usually only see one when there is an emergency.

The younger kids will probably not care when they see an officer at school. Little ones think police officers are superheroes (rightly so)...but the older kids? The middle schoolers? They know what happened in Connecticut. They will know why those cops are there...and it will be a daily reminder that schools are not safe places.

That's the exact opposite of how it should be. Kids shouldn't have to think about tragedy everyday.

It's almost as if we are accepting school shootings as a way of life by doing this. We should instead address the problem. Let's try to prevent these tragedies at the source.

I truly believe guns have no place anywhere near a school. I also think if someone is deranged and on a mission to harm others, they will find a way to do so.

I appreciate these officers who are serving the community and will do what they can to protect every child, but there just has to be a better way.

What do you think of Marlboro Township's decision to put an armed guard outside the schools? Tell us in the comment section below!

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