School district protects its students
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Marvin Marin
Published: August 18, 2008
On Friday the board of the Harrold Independent School District voted unanimously to approve of a plan whereby teachers could be certified to be armed in classrooms. This is an amazing first step forward
in providing an extra level of protection to the children in that district.
Other school districts, including Prince William County, should look into creating such a program.
The Harrold program provides for teachers or staff that have been certified to carry a concealed handgun by the state, have obtained crisis training and have received permission from school officials to be
able to carry their firearms in school. In addition, staff members carrying firearms will be required to use frangible-type ammunition to reduce the chance of ricochets if a firearm is ever deployed in a
defensive capacity.
Allowing staff to carry concealed firearms provides for an additional level of security and protection along with other passive measures such as cameras, locked doors and resource officers.
In a situation where an outsider or student decides to assault a school campus without regard for his own life, the last line of defense for our children may be a teacher carrying a legal concealed firearm.
I applaud Superintendent Thweatt’s foresight and vision on creating this program and I hope that the Prince William County School Board looks closely at this program for adoption.
MARVIN MARIN
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Posted by ( rafaelva ) on August 20, 2008 at 5:10 am
MMarin, that reading on 18.2-308.1 could be considered questionable, though the terms curriculum, and activities could be construed to allow the board, or schools to arm teachers for security purposes. Similar wording appears in section 22 (education). It’s iffy to consider whether this is authority to arm teachers to provide security. It smacks too close to a committee of vigilance.
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Posted by ( jVA ) on August 19, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Really? No offense to professional security guards, but its not like these guys are all former cops trained by Blackwater or anything like that.
Teachers are college educated, responsible adults whom we trust with our children each day. If some are willing to be trained, why not empower them to keep our kids safe in the worst cases? I certainly trust their judgement as much as a rental security guard.
It could be that just the idea that a number of teachers may be armed might be a deterrent to some of these kids.
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Posted by ( rafaelva ) on August 19, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I have no problem with trained and bonded security guards, but not teachers.
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Posted by ( mmarin ) on August 19, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Rafaelva,
The Virginia Code section 18.2-308.1 deals with weapons in schools and who are exempt. The list is fairly long in who can already bring weapons into schools.
To your point. The state allows for the schools themselves to decide if a school system will allow whomever they wish to legally carry in a school. So, our law from a state perspective reflects the same as Texas. It’s upto each school to determine who can and cannot carry.
With 5 years of higher education, a concealed weapons permit and additional training in the proper deployement of force I believe teachers are exactly the type of persons we want armed in our schools to provide a higher level of assurance of student safety.
Let’s stop paying lip service to teachers and give them the tools they need to safeguard our children and themselves.
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Posted by ( jVA ) on August 19, 2008 at 11:07 am
Its going to happen eventually. I’d rather see either certified armed teacers or security guards than armed students.
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Posted by ( scorpio ) on August 19, 2008 at 9:16 am
Finally our kids will have someone to protect them and a chance to survive in case another lunatic decides to go on shooting rampage at some school. I am so glad that common sense prevailed over idealistic and liberal anti-gun agenda.
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Posted by ( rafaelva ) on August 19, 2008 at 8:53 am
I would be as fearful of teachers carrying weapons, as I am of students carrying weapons. Fortunately, I am sure there are State and County Laws to prevent such a thing. I am also sure that no school board in the State of Virginia has authority to authorize teachers to carry firearms, concealed or otherwise on school property.
The Harrold Independent School District is a 110 student district in Texas, what is that, less then 1 percent of the school population of Prince William. Harrold has (1) school, It has an 8 member board, or 1 board member for every 13.75 students.
I could not find how many teachers they had, but I wouldn’t assume to many for 110 students. Not many I am sure. I am sorry, but what sounds good for a wee tiny school district in North Texas, definately isn’t good for Prince William County, Virginia.
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