I recall shooting a 124gr Rem Golden Saber +P into an old Algebra book (~1.5" thick) from a Glock 19. Not only did the bullet have enough velocity to exit the back of the book, it expanded in the berm behind the book as if it had passed through a 'heavy denim test' (later confirmed in gelatin, years later).
Somehow I doubt the round expanded in the berm, but instead in impacting the book.
Yes, a 1.5" book isn't going to stop most bullets, but it will bleed off more of the energy which will reduce the damage potential downrange from the book.
You work with what you have at the time. A 1.5" book barrier is better than no barrier, albeit far from ideal defense.
Good ideas, Pixel! If possible I think it best for everyone to scatter in as many different directions as possible: distance and angles.
Yes, scattering is a way to break up target density, but how do you make this happen in a controlled manner such that all the potential targets know what to do? That is the problem with high stress and panic-laden situations.
Personally, from the limited video footage I have seen for school defenses in classrooms, I think may folks would be well served by using whatever is on hand as thrown projectiles. It is a barrage tactic that is meant to limit, frustrate, and hopefully stop an attack. It is a pro-active opportunistic tactic. Once again, the problem is getting folks in a high stress panic-laden situation to behave in the manner necessary to effect the tactic.
So far what is turning up is that very few folks mounted any sort of active defense other that flight. The only one I have heard of is blocking the door of a room the shooter left and then tried to re-enter. The tactic was sufficient enough that the frustrated shooter fired into the door without students being hit and he broke off the attack at that room. It was a pro-active defense that precluded further injury in that room.
CCW is a great answer and I don't deny it, but folks really need to realize that they have a lot of options available to them to use as weapons even if they don't have guns. In many of the previous mass attacks that have been as short ranges such as this, such as Luby's in Temple, people simply hid behind furniture or took flight. Few tried to fight and those that did were shot (tried charging the shooter), but they had ceramic plates, knives, forks, glasses, salt, salt and pepper shakers, etc. that all would have been handy thrown projectiles, but they were not used as such.
If you don't want to use a 1.5" algebra book for cover, then by golly use it as a projectile. A class of 20 kids likely means at least 20 projectile books.
so I uhh....will be even more disarmed there. 