Harrold school district to staff: Pack your pistols

[Wildscar]

This was interesting to find in the Yahoo head lines.

Harrold school district to staff: Pack your pistols

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/834022.html

By MARK AGEErmagee@star-telegram.com

When classes start Aug. 25 at the tiny Harrold school district, there will be one distinct difference from years prior — some of the teachers may have guns.

To deter and protect against school shootings, trustees have altered district policy to allow employees to carry concealed weapons if they have permits. The 110-student district lies 150 miles northwest of Fort Worth on the eastern end of Wilbarger County, near the Oklahoma border.

More than a dozen legislatures have considered making it legal to carry guns on college campuses, but experts and officials contacted by the Star-Telegram say the move is unprecedented in elementary or secondary schools.

Harrold Superintendent David Thweatt said a main concern was that the small community is a 30-minute drive from the county sheriff’s office, leaving students and teachers without protection.

Although Harrold is a small town, the district’s campussits 500 feet from heavily trafficked U.S. 287, which could make it a target, he said.

There are other security measures already in place, including only one way to enter the school, state-of-the-art surveillance cameras and electric locks on doors. But after the Virginia Tech massacre and the Pennsylvania Amish shooting, Thweatt said he felt he had to take further action.

"When the federal government started making schools gun-free zones, that’s when all of these shootings started," Thweatt said. "Why would you put it out there that a group of people can’t defend themselves? That’s like saying 'Sic 'em’ to a dog."

"Our philosophy here is to be prepared," he said.

Texas law explicitly outlaws firearms on school campuses "unless pursuant to the written regulations or written authorization of the institution."

Thweatt said did not reveal how many of the about 50 teachers and staff members would be armed this fall, because he doesn’t want students or potential attackers to know.

Wilbarger County Sheriff Larry Lee was out of the office Thursday and did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Barbara Williams, a spokeswoman for the Texas Association of School Boards, said her organization is not aware of another district doing something similar.

Ken Trump, a Cleveland-based school security expert who advises districts nationwide, including in Texas, said that Harrold is the first district he knows of to take such a step.

"It’s definitely the exception, not the rule," Trump said. "It’s rare, if not non-existent."

Trump said he would have advised against allowing teachers to arm themselves, if only because of liability concerns. In the long run, it could have been cheaper and safer to hire security or off-duty police, he said. Texas school districts also have the option of forming their own police force, he noted.

"What are the rules for use of force?" Trump said. "Or how about weapons-retention training? Because they could go in to break up a fight in the cafeteria and lose their gun."

"On the surface, it may sound like a solution to a difficult problem of the sheriff being 30 minutes way, but they have taken on a huge responsibility," he continued. "If an accident or an incident occurs, they’re going to have some tough questions to answer."

Thweatt said the district did not rush into the decision. Officials researched the policy and weighed other options for about a year before trustees voted on the policy in October.

"The naysayers think that won’t happen here. But who would have seen it coming in Virginia or Pennsylvania? Or at Columbine?" he said. "If something were to happen here, I’d much rather be calling a parent to tell them that their child is okay because we were able to protect them."

harroldisd.net; schoolsecurity.org

[NcongruNt]

Wow. That is encouraging. It will be interesting to see what kind of fire (pun not intended) the district will come under regarding their decision. I hope the policy lasts, as I'm inclined to think they're going to have a lot of publicity and opposition from lots of naysayers, particularly on a non-local level.

Kudos to the board for making a good decision!

[slowpoke]

Common sense breaks out! WooHoooooooo

[Sangiovese]

WOW!!!

I can't believe that a school district took such a bold step. Kudos to them. I plan to send a letter to their board commending them on their decision.

The perfect cherry on top would be for one of our fine firearms training organizations to step up and give them free or substantially discounted training on weapons retention and active shooter scenarios.

[bryang]

This is great news! Hopefully this will be the little trickle in the dam that brings the whole thing down. It would be nice if someone would step up and give the teachers some training. I am sure the media will jump all over this and run with it. I do hope the policy will hold up and be the beginning of others to see the truth.

-geo

[Venus Pax]

I wonder if Harrold ISD is taking applications. ;)

[Excaliber]

Kudos to the first school district leadership I'm aware of that has had the courage to use logic on the facts and arrive at the obvious conclusion instead of repeating the same failed strategies over and over while expecting a different result.

[LarryH]

WOW!!!

The perfect cherry on top would be for one of our fine firearms training organizations to step up and give them free or substantially discounted training on weapons retention and active shooter scenarios.

and CHL training.

[flintknapper]

Kudos to the first school district leadership I'm aware of that has had the courage to use logic on the facts and arrive at the obvious conclusion instead of repeating the same failed strategies over and over while expecting a different result.

Its truly a refreshing display of common sense!

"When the federal government started making schools gun-free zones, that’s when all of these shootings started," Thweatt said. "Why would you put it out there that a group of people can’t defend themselves? That’s like saying 'Sic 'em’ to a dog."

"Our philosophy here is to be prepared," he said.

[stevie_d_64]

Good for that school district...

Ken Trump is a blithering idiot...I don't much care for his inflated political, media and congressional testimony either...

In this story, he proves his true colors...Deep down, he is part of the movement to "slick up" the gun-free zones in this country even more...

[flintknapper]

Trump said he would have advised against allowing teachers to arm themselves, if only because of liability concerns. In the long run, it could have been cheaper and safer to hire security or off-duty police, he said.

I guess I'm at a loss to understand this statement. Maybe I'm just "thick", but since the teachers are already on the payroll (and assuming they are not being compensated to carry) how could it be "cheaper" to hire security personnel or off-duty police?

Somebody help me here.

Is he assuming there will be a litigation down the road if teachers carry, but not if security does?

[The Annoyed Man]

Trump has a vested interest in keeping schools "gun free." As long as school districts take these common sense steps, they don't need to hire his school security consulting service. Whatever he says is automatically tainted.

[flintknapper]

Trump has a vested interest in keeping schools "gun free." As long as school districts take these common sense steps, they don't need to hire his school security consulting service. Whatever he says is automatically tainted.

No way!

[TX Rancher]

Somebody help me here.

Is he assuming there will be a litigation down the road if teachers carry, but not if security does?

Yep, I’d say that’s what he’s claiming…a dropped weapon that goes boom…a teacher that goes off the deep end and shoots a student….a student takes the gun and shoots a teacher and/or student…you know, the old blood will run if you do this argument.

Personally, I like the idea of the teachers carrying and I think Sangiovese has a good suggestion in having someone give them extra training on weapons retention and active shooter situations.

Also, since things can go wrong, maybe the teachers and the district should check into some sort of liability coverage…you know…just in case. I bet that's what his security business does since it seems they would be susceptable to the same legal issues.

It will be interesting to see how much press this will get and what the general public response will be. Hopefully with it being Texas the majority will be in support. But you know how vocal the anti-gun crowd can be.

[lunchbox]

it only takes one to get the ball rolling next stop washington