North Texas school district will let teachers carry guns

[Hawkgirl]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5945430.html

HARROLD, Texas — A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to allow teachers and staff to pack guns for protection when classes begin later this month, a newspaper reported.

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.

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 have to use ammunition that is designed to minimize the risk of ricochet in school halls.

Superintendent David 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.

"When the federal government started making schools gun-free zones, that's when all of these shootings started. 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," Thweatt said in Friday's online edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
I wonder if there is a large sect of Mexicans in this town...

[thundley4]

I think it would be wiser to maybe limit to those who have owned firearms for many years.  I'm not sure I like the idea of someone that has never had prior experience with guns to suddenly arm themselves just because of this.

[Thor]

WOW!!! Some folks with some common sense !!!! Their "rules" seem fair, too!!

Thundley, a CHL isn't "easy" to get. Folks have to be qualifed to operate and fire a handgun before they are given out. The one thing I would have liked to see added to their rules would have been monthly participation in either an IDPA or IPSC event ( or more often)

[Hawkgirl]

I'm not sure I like the idea of someone that has never had prior experience with guns to suddenly arm themselves just because of this.

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 have to use ammunition that is designed to minimize the risk of ricochet in school halls.

[Airwolf]

Sounds like there will be at least one school safe from people intent on doing harm to children.

[thundley4]

I get the part about the required training and that's good, but I'd feel safer around people who have handled guns for a longer time.  

I know, a rural area in Texas, most people have guns and are already trained in safety.  I was raised in a smaller rural town in central Illinois. Opening day for hunting seasons usually meant a lot of absentees at school.

[Wretched Excess]

 . . . and in a related story, grades in texas immediately improved.

[DixieBelle]

The Texas CHL is hard to get. My instructor booted a guy for bringing a gun that he hadn't cleaned in a long time. She told him that if he was that careless, he didn't deserve to be licensed to arm himself in public.

[Thor]

Illinois has no CCW. About the only folks that get to "carry" are the Aldermen  & Judges. It's probably close to being the worst anti-gun state. That said, a state having no such carry laws scares folks when people DO carry. MN just got their "shall issue" in 2003. There is no law in MN that requires folks to carry concealed. However, "open carry" (visibly armed) scares the shit out of most of the "sheeple". I'd rather be in a room full of licensed folks that are armed than anything else when it comes to MY safety. Many of those that DO carry often attend IDPA matches on a regular basis.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

As long as they aren't carrying Bibles.

That could be REALLY dangerous!

[Donpeyote]

As long as they aren't carrying Bibles.

That could be REALLY dangerous!

Or Korans /

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

As long as they aren't carrying Bibles.

That could be REALLY dangerous!

Or Korans /

If the teachers are carrying korans I would definitely want the students armed.

[DixieBelle]

H5 snugs.

[rich_t]

I think it would be wiser to maybe limit to those who have owned firearms for many years.  I'm not sure I like the idea of someone that has never had prior experience with guns to suddenly arm themselves just because of this.

Please expand on your concerns.  Texas has a fairly robust training requirement for a CHL.

[rich_t]

WOW!!! Some folks with some common sense !!!! Their "rules" seem fair, too!!

Thundley, a CHL isn't "easy" to get. Folks have to be qualifed to operate and fire a handgun before they are given out. The one thing I would have liked to see added to their rules would have been monthly participation in either an IDPA or IPSC event ( or more often)

Why not require the same of all cops serving in Texas while you got your wish list out?

[rich_t]

I'm not certain I see the need for it, especially in a small town with an even smaller school.  I'd haphazardly guess, it was brought about more for publicity and being Texans than actual increased safety. 

Do you know how far away the closest police station to that school is?

Dial 911 and die waiting zone.

[DixieBelle]

^exactly. Why risk it? The police are minutes away - if you can safely dial 911 and get through. A gun is right there.

[Chris_]

I'm not certain I see the need for it, especially in a small town with an even smaller school.  I'd haphazardly guess, it was brought about more for publicity and being Texans than actual increased safety. 

You're not from Texas, are you?

[Hawkgirl]

^exactly. Why risk it? The police are minutes away - if you can safely dial 911 and get through. A gun is right there.

Did you read the article?  The sheriff's office is 30 minutes away...I'd hardly describe a 30 minute wait as RIGHT THERE.  Ask the college kids who died at Virginia Tech how long 1 minute is, nevermind 30 when you're threagthened with a gun.

[DixieBelle]

^exactly. Why risk it? The police are minutes away - if you can safely dial 911 and get through. A gun is right there.

Did you read the article?  The sheriff's office is 30 minutes away...I'd hardly describe a 30 minute wait as RIGHT THERE.  Ask the college kids who died at Virginia Tech how long 1 minute is, nevermind 30 when you're threagthened with a gun.

I think you mis-read my post. Read the one right above it. I was agreeing with "dial 911 and die".

I said the police are minutes away and a gun is right there. I totally advocate the use of concealed weapons. I say that as former law enforcement officer who also worked 911 dispatch. I have too many sad stories to safely say it's okay to wait for the cops.

[Hawkgirl]

^exactly. Why risk it? The police are minutes away - if you can safely dial 911 and get through. A gun is right there.

Did you read the article?  The sheriff's office is 30 minutes away...I'd hardly describe a 30 minute wait as RIGHT THERE.  Ask the college kids who died at Virginia Tech how long 1 minute is, nevermind 30 when you're threagthened with a gun.

I think you mis-read my post. Read the one right above it. I was agreeing with "dial 911 and die".

I said the police are minutes away and a gun is right there. I totally advocate the use of concealed weapons. I say that as former law enforcement officer who also worked 911 dispatch. I have too many sad stories to safely say it's okay to wait for the cops.

Ahhh...I missed the sarcasm....sorry!

[DixieBelle]

no worries

[Thor]

WOW!!! Some folks with some common sense !!!! Their "rules" seem fair, too!!

Thundley, a CHL isn't "easy" to get. Folks have to be qualifed to operate and fire a handgun before they are given out. The one thing I would have liked to see added to their rules would have been monthly participation in either an IDPA or IPSC event ( or more often)

Why not require the same of all cops serving in Texas while you got your wish list out?

I think that participation in IDPA and IPSC events should be mandatory for ANYONE that carries a gun. It can ONLY hone one's skill. I wouldn't mind it being a requirement for all LEOs, CHL/CCW/Carry Permit holders. It does cost a bit of money, though and that is the down side, especially with the high ammunition prices nowadays. I've participated in quite a few of those events. I've known of some LEOs that did when I was in MN. One was an EXCELLENT marksman!!

I guess that some of the reasoning behind that is the same reasoning of why a GOOD Commanding Officer of a US Naval vessel would hold GQ drills a lot. The CO of the USS Tripoli held GQ drills every day, sometimes twice a day just prior to us getting into the combat zone during Desert Storm. I almost hated him for it because I worked night shift for my squadron as that's when the heavy maintenance was performed and he always held them during the day time. Needless to say, us aircraft maintenance folks got a LOT of broken sleep. Those drills paid off when the Tripoli hit the mine. No Casualties and we were able to stay afloat and complete our mission.

The USS New Orleans wasn't near as good because when we cross decked from the Tripoli to the NO Boat, we had a scud fly over us. The Tripoli rapidly responded by going to GQ. The NO boat was left in a daze because folks were unprepared. Hell, I had to go over and close the hangar deck doors just because i wanted to stay alive and protect the ship. The ship's company and the onboard Marines were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. It was self evident that the skipper of the NO boat hadn't prepared his crew as well as he should have. Instead, he appeared to be more worried about the cleanliness of the decks inside. The NO boat DEFINITELY wasn't ready for what it could face.