School districts across the country are looking to Northwest Texas in the wake of the wake of the deadly school attack in Connecticut.
Harrold ISD is located northwest of Wichita Falls. The city of Harrold is remote and has no police department. The closest law enforcement is 30 minutes away.
Teachers with a concealed carry license are allowed to bring a gun to school.
"My mantra has been this: as school personnel with children here we are our first responders," Harrold Superintendent David Thweatt said. "My goal is if someone tries to come in and hurt my little ones that they are killed."
He believes teachers armed with a gun will prevent a school shooting.
In 2007 the district adopted a policy called the Guardian Plan. It has four components but essentially teachers who have a concealed handgun license may carry a gun with them to school.
In the five years it has been in place, there have been no incidents at the school. Thweatt attributes that to the extra security measures the district has taken.
Most students do not a problem with the policy.
"It's just like seeing a clock in the room, not even in your mind you just know that it's there."
"I like it because it kind of makes me feel safer because I mean, we don't have a police station here."
Parent Michael Hopkins agrees.
"I don't have any issues with it at all," he said. "If one of those guys gets into the school, he's met with an armed resistance."
Superintendent Thweat says it's his job to protect students and teachers the best he can.
"My call to the parents at the end of the day is 'your child is coming home, the bad guy he's dead.'"
The Texas Tribune reports that under federal and state law, school districts can grant written permission for anyone, including certain employees, to carry firearms on campus
No comments:
Post a Comment