Desertdog
Member
Why not make all techers eligable to carry? Sounds like a great idea to me.
Guns-At-School Bill Questioned
http://www.sequoyahcountytimes.com/articles/2006/01/25/news/frontq.txt
By Sally Maxwell, Managing Editor
A House bill introduced by State Rep. Glen "Bud" Smithson (D-Sallisaw) "is attracting attention," Smithson said Tuesday.
House Bill 2075 would allow school superintendents and principals with a valid conceal-carry permit to carry firearms on school property as long as they have approval from a majority of their school boards.
Smithson said the bill was requested by Lucky McCrary, superintendent of Belfonte School north of Muldrow.
"Since I filed it, I've had a ton of other school officials call me in support of it," Smithson said. "The NRA (National Rifle Association) also supports it."
But other school officials are not so sure the proposal is a good idea.
The Tahlequah Daily Press and The Edmond Sun both reported that State Sen. Jim Wilson (D-Tahlequah), senator for the northern portion of Sequoyah County, didn't think the bill would make it out of the House committee.
"I've talked to three or four people about it, and they don't support it," Wilson said. "I would hope they would be trained to carry a gun...to go through CLEET training or something like that."
CLEET stands for Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training. All professional police officers must be CLEET certified.
Tahlequah school superintendent Paul Hurst is quoted as saying, "I find little value in such legislation. It's one thing to be a trained law enforcement officer on campus, but this is another thing, with all due respect."
Other school officials noted that their small rural schools were often 15 to 30 minutes away from law enforcement agencies, and they were sometimes the only ones present to investigate burglar alarms in the middle of the night.
In a prepared press release dated Jan. 6, Smithson said, "Our school administrators, especially in rural areas, need to be able to protect their students when violence erupts in the schools. These administrators will be trained and licensed to know how to handle the firearm and when to use it."
Smithson, a retired Oklahoma Highway Patrolman and a firearms safety instructor, said he has received multiple requests for the proposal from rural school superintendents and principals concerned about student and teacher safety in the event of violence.
In the same press release, McCrary said his school is more than 17 miles from Muldrow, and that he is as concerned about burglary and vandalism after school hours as he is about violence while school is in session.
He says in the press release, "When an incident takes place in my school, whether during school hours or in the middle of the night, I am the first line of protection for my students, staff and property. It could take an officer more than a half hour to arrive because we are so far away. I need the authority to protect those I have been entrusted to protect, if necessary."
Superintendents at other small schools in the county don't agree.
Brushy School Superintendent Darlus Edwards said, "I haven't given it (the bill) much thought. I'm not a qualified law enforcement officer. I'd feel very uncomfortable (with a firearm at school). If it gets that bad, I'll probably go look for another profession."
Jeff Ransom, superintendent at Liberty School north of Roland, said he would also feel uncomfortable as an armed school official.
"I believe it must be a personal choice," Ransom said. "I think the bill says it has to be board approved.
"We are fortunate because we've got some reserve officers who live up here and a sheriff's deputy who lives close," Ransom said. "In my situation, with having officers living here locally, I feel with the procedures we have in place...I don't feel the need to carry a weapon.
"At night," Ransom said, if the school alarm sounds, "I'm waiting on a deputy. After hours, there's nothing here that's worth a human life."
Ransom continued, "I'm just looking at it from my experience. We're as vigilant as we can be (during the school day). We're about five miles north of Roland, so we're a little closer to law enforcement than some other rural school districts. And if there was a problem, we'd be calling to get as many people here as possible.
"I wouldn't be comfortable (carrying a weapon)," Ransom said. "But I can only speak for my own situation. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be appropriate some place else. I've been around firearms all my life. I've hunted all my life. But I'd still want intensive training (before taking a weapon to school)."
Ransom said all school administrators worry about the worst scenarios, such as school shootings.
"There's not an administrator anywhere that hasn't thought about that situation," he said. "We have a plan. We've had drills. But we still wonder 'Will it work?' There's too many variables. You think you're prepared, but it can happen to anyone at any time."
By going armed to school, Ransom said, "I know I'd feel like I was stepping over a line into something that I've not been trained for."
Smithson emphasized that the bill, as it was introduced, leaves it up to the school boards whether or not school officials can carry a concealed weapon.
"The bill doesn't say they have to carry a weapon," Smithson said, "It only gives each school board the power to approve that.
"I think it was last summer in Oktaha that a superintendent went to school to reset the burglar alarm. The security cameras show him walking down the halls. The cameras also show the burglars watching him walk down the halls," Smithson said.
"The bill only gives the school officials approval to carry a concealed weapon at their own schools, not other schools," Smithson added.
He said, "Small schools don't have the funding to hire security guards. The bill only gives the school board the power to allow the school officials to carry a weapon. It doesn't force anyone to carry a weapon.
"Opposition to the bill," Smithson said, "is from the bigger towns. They don't need it and they don't want anyone else to either."
HB 2075 must get through the House committee before going to the House floor for a vote, Smithson explained. If approved by the House, the bill will then go to a Senate committee before it goes to a vote in the senate. If approved by both, the bill would then go to the governor to be signed into law.
If changed in any way, then the bill must restart the whole process by going back to a House committee, Smithson said.
Guns-At-School Bill Questioned
http://www.sequoyahcountytimes.com/articles/2006/01/25/news/frontq.txt
By Sally Maxwell, Managing Editor
A House bill introduced by State Rep. Glen "Bud" Smithson (D-Sallisaw) "is attracting attention," Smithson said Tuesday.
House Bill 2075 would allow school superintendents and principals with a valid conceal-carry permit to carry firearms on school property as long as they have approval from a majority of their school boards.
Smithson said the bill was requested by Lucky McCrary, superintendent of Belfonte School north of Muldrow.
"Since I filed it, I've had a ton of other school officials call me in support of it," Smithson said. "The NRA (National Rifle Association) also supports it."
But other school officials are not so sure the proposal is a good idea.
The Tahlequah Daily Press and The Edmond Sun both reported that State Sen. Jim Wilson (D-Tahlequah), senator for the northern portion of Sequoyah County, didn't think the bill would make it out of the House committee.
"I've talked to three or four people about it, and they don't support it," Wilson said. "I would hope they would be trained to carry a gun...to go through CLEET training or something like that."
CLEET stands for Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training. All professional police officers must be CLEET certified.
Tahlequah school superintendent Paul Hurst is quoted as saying, "I find little value in such legislation. It's one thing to be a trained law enforcement officer on campus, but this is another thing, with all due respect."
Other school officials noted that their small rural schools were often 15 to 30 minutes away from law enforcement agencies, and they were sometimes the only ones present to investigate burglar alarms in the middle of the night.
In a prepared press release dated Jan. 6, Smithson said, "Our school administrators, especially in rural areas, need to be able to protect their students when violence erupts in the schools. These administrators will be trained and licensed to know how to handle the firearm and when to use it."
Smithson, a retired Oklahoma Highway Patrolman and a firearms safety instructor, said he has received multiple requests for the proposal from rural school superintendents and principals concerned about student and teacher safety in the event of violence.
In the same press release, McCrary said his school is more than 17 miles from Muldrow, and that he is as concerned about burglary and vandalism after school hours as he is about violence while school is in session.
He says in the press release, "When an incident takes place in my school, whether during school hours or in the middle of the night, I am the first line of protection for my students, staff and property. It could take an officer more than a half hour to arrive because we are so far away. I need the authority to protect those I have been entrusted to protect, if necessary."
Superintendents at other small schools in the county don't agree.
Brushy School Superintendent Darlus Edwards said, "I haven't given it (the bill) much thought. I'm not a qualified law enforcement officer. I'd feel very uncomfortable (with a firearm at school). If it gets that bad, I'll probably go look for another profession."
Jeff Ransom, superintendent at Liberty School north of Roland, said he would also feel uncomfortable as an armed school official.
"I believe it must be a personal choice," Ransom said. "I think the bill says it has to be board approved.
"We are fortunate because we've got some reserve officers who live up here and a sheriff's deputy who lives close," Ransom said. "In my situation, with having officers living here locally, I feel with the procedures we have in place...I don't feel the need to carry a weapon.
"At night," Ransom said, if the school alarm sounds, "I'm waiting on a deputy. After hours, there's nothing here that's worth a human life."
Ransom continued, "I'm just looking at it from my experience. We're as vigilant as we can be (during the school day). We're about five miles north of Roland, so we're a little closer to law enforcement than some other rural school districts. And if there was a problem, we'd be calling to get as many people here as possible.
"I wouldn't be comfortable (carrying a weapon)," Ransom said. "But I can only speak for my own situation. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be appropriate some place else. I've been around firearms all my life. I've hunted all my life. But I'd still want intensive training (before taking a weapon to school)."
Ransom said all school administrators worry about the worst scenarios, such as school shootings.
"There's not an administrator anywhere that hasn't thought about that situation," he said. "We have a plan. We've had drills. But we still wonder 'Will it work?' There's too many variables. You think you're prepared, but it can happen to anyone at any time."
By going armed to school, Ransom said, "I know I'd feel like I was stepping over a line into something that I've not been trained for."
Smithson emphasized that the bill, as it was introduced, leaves it up to the school boards whether or not school officials can carry a concealed weapon.
"The bill doesn't say they have to carry a weapon," Smithson said, "It only gives each school board the power to approve that.
"I think it was last summer in Oktaha that a superintendent went to school to reset the burglar alarm. The security cameras show him walking down the halls. The cameras also show the burglars watching him walk down the halls," Smithson said.
"The bill only gives the school officials approval to carry a concealed weapon at their own schools, not other schools," Smithson added.
He said, "Small schools don't have the funding to hire security guards. The bill only gives the school board the power to allow the school officials to carry a weapon. It doesn't force anyone to carry a weapon.
"Opposition to the bill," Smithson said, "is from the bigger towns. They don't need it and they don't want anyone else to either."
HB 2075 must get through the House committee before going to the House floor for a vote, Smithson explained. If approved by the House, the bill will then go to a Senate committee before it goes to a vote in the senate. If approved by both, the bill would then go to the governor to be signed into law.
If changed in any way, then the bill must restart the whole process by going back to a House committee, Smithson said.
How can we place such a low value on our kids that we would legislate and advertise their vulnerability?