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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Texas School District Will Let Teachers Carry Guns |
| 2008-08-15 |
| 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. Thweatt said officials researched the policy and considered other options for about a year before approving the policy change. He said the district also has various other security measures in place to prevent a school shooting. "The naysayers think (a shooting) won't happen here. If something were to happen here, I'd much rather be calling a parent to tell them that their child is OK because we were able to protect them," Thweatt said. Texas law outlaws firearms on school campuses "unless pursuant to the written regulations or written authorization of the institution." 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. Wilbarger County Sheriff Larry Lee was out of the office Thursday and did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment, the newspaper said. Barbara Williams, a spokeswoman for the Texas Association of School Boards, said her organization did not know of another district with such a policy. Ken Trump, a Cleveland-based school security expert who advises districts nationwide, including in Texas, said Harrold is the first district with such a policy. The 110-student district is 150 miles northwest of Fort Worth on the eastern end of Wilbarger County, near the Oklahoma border. |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #12 Ditto to the Brick. Reloads are lawyer candy. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-08-15 22:49 |
| #11 Thank you, Broadhead6. It's been a long day. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-08-15 22:48 |
| #10 If you're carrying concealed, you NEVER carry reloaded ammo. You carry brand new "Personal Defense Ammo" or you call the local police department and ask what they use and why and carry that. Carrying reloaded ammo and using it is bad news when the lawyers get involved. Because no matter WHAT load you use, they're going to play it as "designed to horribly kill people". |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2008-08-15 22:42 |
| #9 TW - he's saying if the gov't is doing it's job right by the const' then the gov't need not fear an armed populace because though armed, they would have no cause to revolt. |
| Posted by: Hupusong Hatfield aka Broadhead6 2008-08-15 21:31 |
| #8 I reload, I very highly recommend the "FBI" load, it's a slight overcharge of propellent pushing a relatively lightweight (125 Grain) SWC(Semi wadcutter) bullet.(Think of a trunciated cone, no point) The idea is to NOT penetrate the body and kill somebody a block away. Very flat trajectory, very high speed (1150 or so Feet per second), and no extra recoil. It's what I load and keep in my .38. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-08-15 20:15 |
| #7 have to use ammunition that is designed to minimize the risk of ricochet in school halls." Frangible ammo. Probably Glaser safety slugs. I think this is a great idea. It will certainly make them safer from outside attack than they would otherwise be. It's nowhere near as necessary in this case as it would be in the inner-city schools. There the danger comes less from outsiders than from the students themselves. Most of those schools need not only a few shootings of students by teachers but a good round number of floggings for both students and parents (or at least the parents who can be found). It's the lack of discipline in those places that is the most deleterious factor in their lack of ability to properly educate the students. |
| Posted by: Jolutch Mussolini7800 2008-08-15 20:07 |
| #6 "have to use ammunition that is designed to minimize the risk of ricochet in school halls." Now THAT is important, even here in Texas... |
| Posted by: Snosing and Tenille9185 2008-08-15 18:38 |
| #5 "150 miles northwest of Fort Worth..." No brainer. Anyone 60+ miles west of Fort Worth in Texas still can both ride and shoot. |
| Posted by: Snosing and Tenille9185 2008-08-15 18:30 |
| #4 Anguper, and the problem with that is ? |
| Posted by: Rambler in California 2008-08-15 18:17 |
| #3 "I fear the government that fears my gun." I'm confused, DLR. Should we not want the government to fear our guns? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-08-15 18:06 |
| #2 Next thing we'll hear is they've authorized capital punishment for students disrupting classes. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2008-08-15 17:39 |
| #1 This is a good move. There'd be less shootings overall (and FAR less crime) if everyone was armed all the time. Criminals don't care about jail, they care about getting killed by an irate homeowner or other "victim". And I'd be happy to bet any sum you can imagine that 90% of the people who go "crazy" and shoot up people for over angst or other screwloose issues wouldn't be quite so crazy if they knew that they'd get one round off then take a dozen in the back from bystanders. I believe it was Jefferson who said "I fear the government that fears my gun." |
| Posted by: DLR 2008-08-15 13:18 |