Texas school district letting teachers carry guns

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Texas school district letting teachers carry guns

Postby Baconsticks » Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:00 am

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iEhb ... AD92J09700
HARROLD, Texas (AP) — A tiny Texas district will allow teachers and staff members to carry concealed firearms to deter and protect against school shootings when classes begin this month, provided the gun-toting employees follow certain requirements.

The small community of Harrold in north Texas is a 30-minute drive from the Wilbarger County Sheriff's Office, leaving students and teachers without protection, said David Thweatt, superintendent of the Harrold Independent School District. The lone campus of the 110-student district sits near a heavily traveled highway, which could make it a target, he argued.

"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 a story published Friday on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Web site.

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, said Harrold is the first district with such a policy.

Trustees approved the policy change last year. For employees 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 ammunition designed to minimize the risk of ricocheting bullets.

Officials researched the policy and considered other options for about a year before approving the policy change, Thweatt said. The district also has other measures in place to prevent a school shooting, he said.

"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 at schools unless specific institutions allow them.

It isn't clear 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.
Arlo and Fritz, you live in a pantsless strange state. Then again, I'm talking about Texas. :s
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Postby Fritz » Sun Aug 17, 2008 1:57 pm

the starts at night

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deep in the hearttttt of texasssssss

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Postby Comrade K » Sun Aug 17, 2008 1:59 pm

That'll learn em'
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Postby Bocaj Claw » Sun Aug 17, 2008 2:22 pm

I hope they also have regular psych screenings of these teachers. Its all well and good to deter school shootings but all it takes is one armed and frustrated teacher.
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Postby A dude named Vince » Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:37 pm

Well, I doubt that will deter some students from remaining annoying. Well, I guess it isn't necessarily a bad idea, but I don't think a 60 year old who's been teaching since the sixties is going to be of much help in an actual case of a school shooting. Of course, I have no idea of the ages and such of the teachers, but it should still help some at least. Well, that's my two cents.
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Postby Mista_B » Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:56 pm

Now when kids want to get a gun to shoot up the school, all they have to do is take down a teacher. Doesn't take long to sneak up behind someone and brain 'em, but does take awhile to fiddle with a concealed weapon, make sure the safety is off, and figure out where you're going to make some holes.

What I'm trying to say is, now it'll be even easier for a determined student to mess up a ton of people, and having random scared teachers shooting twitchily at whoever they think is the problem isn't going to make anything any easier for anyone.
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A dude named Vince
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Postby A dude named Vince » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:21 pm

Well, think what you want. *shrugs*
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Postby Comrade K » Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:08 am

I'm generally quite pro-gun and pro-carry, after having studied the facts on both ends, but my feelings on this are mixed.

It could help to stop school shootings. Hell, there was a vice principal in Mississippi who apprehended a school shooter with the .45 he got from his car. So, yeah, shootings could be stopped. Of course, as Bocaj said, the people who would be allowed to carry should be thoroughly examined.

But the question I ask myself is "is this necessary?" Are there really enough school shootings to justify this? I don't like it when people aren't allowed the means to defend themselves, but I dislike paranoia and fear-mongering even more, and I feel as though carrying firearms in schools is just sending a message that the world is terrifying and everybody should barricade their doors and windows etc. And I don't like that.
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Postby osprey » Mon Aug 18, 2008 2:15 am

We should ask the question too: what if a TEACHER has a breakdown and goes postal on the school?
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Postby Baconsticks » Mon Aug 18, 2008 2:16 am

We should ask the question too: what if a TEACHER has a breakdown and goes postal on the school?
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Postby Bocaj Claw » Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:35 am

We should ask the question too: what if a TEACHER has a breakdown and goes postal on the school?
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Postby Spray » Mon Aug 18, 2008 2:21 pm

Yippie-kai-ai-yay, Texas. Don't forget to hang the bodies of slain outlaws outside, you know, to make an example.

Man, Texas sucks.

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Postby Muninn » Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:19 am

The superintendent of the Harrold Independent School District has a thweatt surname.

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Postby Steve the Pocket » Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:22 pm

I hope they also have regular psych screenings of these teachers. Its all well and good to deter school shootings but all it takes is one armed and frustrated teacher.
Psych screening, if in fact they do bother to do any, would be something I'd recommend anyone who's looking after a large group of minors 7 hours a day be put through anyway. I wouldn't want the kids in my town being cooped up in a crowded classroom with some psychopath no matter what they may or may not be armed with.

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Postby Bocaj Claw » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:29 am

Granted.
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