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[moosehead]

OMG Texas, of course -

Texas school district to let teachers carry guns
Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:41pm EDT

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A Texas school district will let teachers bring guns to class this fall, the district's superintendent said on Friday, in what experts said appeared to be a first in the United States.

The board of the small rural Harrold Independent School District unanimously approved the plan and parents have not objected, said the district's superintendent, David Thweatt.

School experts backed Thweatt's claim that Harrold, a system of about 110 students 150 miles northwest of Fort Worth, may be the first to let teachers bring guns to the classroom.

Thweatt said it is a matter of safety.

"We have a lock-down situation, we have cameras, but the question we had to answer is, 'What if somebody gets in? What are we going to do?" he said. "It's just common sense."

Teachers who wish to bring guns will have to be certified to carry a concealed handgun in Texas and get crisis training and permission from school officials, he said.

Recent school shootings in the United States have prompted some calls for school officials to allow students and teachers to carry legally concealed weapons into classrooms.

The U.S. Congress once barred guns at schools nationwide, but the U.S. Supreme Court struck the law down, although state and local communities could adopt their own laws. Texas bars guns at schools without the school's permission.

(Reporting by Jim Forsyth in San Antonio; writing by Bruce Nichols in Houston, editing by Vicki Allen)

[Adventurer]

Texas has a huge, huge gang problem with the Crips and the Bloods, the East Side Homeboys, El Barrio (Number 13) etc.... They are all over the place.... Campus do have shootings. Games also have shootings.

[Milwaukiedave]

Actually there was a case in Medford Oregon (close to where I grew up) of a teacher wanting to bring a gun to school about a year ago. The court ruled in favor of the school district's policy of banning teachers from carrying:

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=3703974

[Join Me]

Now it will only be a matter of time until a teacher leaves a gun unlocked in this school district and a student accidentally gets injured or killed. Teachers carrying guns just seems like a bad idea from the get go.

[Pooty]

What your article fails to mention is that this particular school is over 40 miles away from the closest sheriff or police station.

[brento1138]

Well, new times call for new measures. Back in the day, students were scared when the teacher slapped your desk with a ruler and yelled at you. Nowadays, they simply don't care.

The new method? Putting a gun up to a kids head and say "yo mutha f*@#$er! study dis $h%#&it or I blast a cap in yo head!"

Texas! Learning how to communicate with America's youth!!

[The Hammer]

It won't be too long before teachers start taking out the trash.

[Nowhere Man]

[wylies99]

[hubba bubba]

I remember how brutal my schools were in East LA during the late 90's. Pretty sure it hasn't gotten better. If I was teaching back home I would consider carrying a gun.

I mean, it's a hell of a lot better then detention.

[moosehead]

couldn't they just post bodyguards or something??

in all seriousness - where would a teacher put a gun??

not in the drawer with the chalk and erasers

stuck in a back holster?? so everytime they turn to the board it's visible??

and will there be a grade level requirement ?? as in ok for 6th grade (yes, I teach them here and those of you who do or have can appreciate this example) but not for 3rd?

will body armor be required for students? I've heard it's already been made and sold for some years now.

jees the ramifications are HUGE!!!

what about field trips??

"yes, little Jimmy can go on his class field trip to the zoo as long as Mr. Brown carries his Smith and Wesson but not an assault rifle!!!"

[hubba bubba]

Yeah, I don't know really. Maybe on a side holster? Maybe a stealthly concealed .22 in a pucket of your suit jacket?


But seriously, I would not think it is necessary at teh elementary level, but in all honesty, I would consider it if it was an option in the middle/high school level. Of course, just for some areas though.

Not saying I would do it, but I would consider it.

[The Hammer]

[Bigfeet]

This is Texas, baby! Not only are things bigger here, but crazier too!

[ReeseDog]

I'd be down with that.