By Michelle Maskaly
A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to pass a
law specifically allowing teachers and staff to pack heat when classes
begin later this month.
Trustees at the Harrold Independent School District approved a
district policy change last October so employees can carry concealed
firearms to deter and protect against school shootings, provided the
gun-toting teachers follow certain requirements.
Superintendent David Thweatt told FOXNews.com the policy was initiated because of safety concerns.
"We have had employees assaulted before by people in the last
several years," Thweatt said. "I think that safety is big concern. We
are seeing a lot of anger in society."
He wouldn't comment further on the nature of the assaults.
The Texas superintendent linked gun-free zones with the uprising of school shootings in recent years.
"When you make schools gun-free zones, it's like inviting people to come in and take advantage," Thweatt told FOXNews.com.
In order for teachers and staff to carry a pistol, they must
have a Texas license to carry a concealed handgun; must be authorized to
carry by the district; must receive training in crisis management and
hostile situations and must use ammunition that is designed to minimize
the risk of ricochet in school halls.
Thweatt said the small community is a 30-minute drive from the
sheriff's office, leaving students and teachers without protection. He
said the district's lone campus sits 500 feet from heavily trafficked
U.S. 287, which could make it a target.
Texas law outlaws firearms on school campuses "unless pursuant
to the written regulations or written authorization of the
institution."
While the district's plan shot them into the national
spotlight, carrying guns to school is nothing new some states. In Utah,
the law allows anyone with a permit to carry a gun in public schools and
state institutions of higher education.
It was unclear how many of the 50 or so teachers and staff
members will be armed this fall because Thweatt did not disclose that
information, to keep it from students or potential attackers.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,404721,00.html#ixzz2F6LS7kFk
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