Headline of the article at www.Heraldandnews.com The results are finally in from the poll they took a few weeks ago. This was weather people with concealed handgun licenses should be allowed to carry in school.
Nearly 150 Klamath Basin residents say people with concealed weapons permit should be allowed on school campuses with their firearms.
Yet some police and school administrators disagree, saying guns on campuses-regardless of who has possession of them-pose public safety risks that outweigh a constitutional right.
Eighty-five percent of 171 respondents in an informal Herald and News online survey said those with permits should be allowed on school grounds with guns. About 11 percent disagreed and 3 percent were undecided.
Many respondents posed the argument: If people are trained and allowed by law to carrying concealed weapons to defend themselves, why can't they have that right in schools?
Medford case
The issue gained state and national attention recently when a South Medford High School teacher refused to comply with a gun ban imposed by the Medford School Board. The teacher, Shirley Katz, challenged the restriction, but a Jackson County judge upheld district policy. Reports indicate Katz plans to appeal the judge's decision.
While some officials rally behind the constitutional right to bear arms, the same officials still say guns on school grounds pose high safety risks.
Among them: gun carriers are not trained like police officers to possess firearms-and in schools, they are around a dense population of kids.
"You have an environment loaded with children," said Klamath Falls Police Officer Randel Gavin, a resource officer at Ponderosa Middle School. "What kind of danger is that teacher putting children in?"
Gavin said officers undergo hours of training on how to handle firearms. Training includes weapon retention - keeping a weapon away from somebody who tries to take it.
Those with concealed weapon permits take a gun safety course and classes that usually last from a day to a few days.
Law enforcement officials say they would worry about students stealing guns if teachers were allowed with them on campus.
Klamath county Sheriff's Deputy Bill Rosarion said teachers carrying guns could create a confusing and chaotic environment in the event of a violent incident. For example, if a teacher tried to restrain a student with a gun, it would be difficult for officers to know "who's the bad guy and who's the good guy," Rosario said.
"Something you definitely want to respect is people's constitutional right to bear arms and defend themselves," said Rosario, who is a resource officer at Mazama High School. "The permit doesn't come with a badge. It could create any even more dangerous situation for someone doing the right thing."
School officials said they'd rather have security in other ways. Mazama High Principal Terry Bennett said his school works at building relationships to deter violence.
"I don't think arming staff is what you need to do," he said. "I think it's about building relationships with your students, parents and being proactive."
Klamath County School Superintendent Greg Thede said his school district recently hired two school resource officers and expanded surveillance cameras in schools. "Student safety is a priority in our district," he said.
