Gun Bans Are No Solution for Real School Safety

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- I have three sons, ages 10, 8 and 3. Like all fathers, I worry about them non-stop. I worry about everything.

I worry about the food they eat, the vehicles we drive, things they watch on TV, their education and a vast universe of things that I never dreamed about before having children.

Having a fifth grader and third grader made the shooting in Newtown downright depressing. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families impacted. I can't imagine the pain and frustration they feel when just reading about it makes me angry.

I live in the north woods of Wisconsin, and while guns are prevalent (deer hunting is an excusable absence from school), concern over a shooting incident at my sons' school wasn't a worry until I received an email from the school.

"As a result of the tragedy that occurred this morning in Connecticut, we want to communicate steps we are taking to help ensure the safety of staff and students.

All doors at school will be locked during the school day. Check-in procedures are in place at all schools. For instance, all visitors check in at the main office; photo IDs will be required for visitors who are unknown to staff. If you have questions about security, please talk with your principal. All school functions will continue as scheduled. Our school safety plans have been reviewed. All reasonable precautions are being taken."

My understanding is that the current "plan" to protect my children from great harm is to hope that a nationwide news event never happens here. This "plan" is shared by most schools at all levels, and it falls far short of real protection for the ones we love the most. I will discuss reasonable and effective alternatives to the "hope it never happens plan," but first I want to write about the exploitation of Newtown for political objectives.

I consistently write about the perils of allowing emotion to influence investing decisions. More money is lost by investors as a result of emotion than any other factor I know of. The reason is simple: emotion is a very poor compass by which to guide your decisions.

People who don't like firearms and believe they should only be owned by the government are once again offering up the emotional solution of another "assault weapons" and high-capacity magazine ban. Companies that manufacture modern sporting rifles include Smith & Wesson (SWHC) and Sturm Ruger (RGR).

The fact that implementing a ban will not stop the next tragedy doesn't appear to influence those calling for it. Trying to convince the public that bans are the solution is also only a distraction.

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