Exploring the possibility of arming teachers with guns

In the wake of the deadly shooting rampage at a Florida high school, different discussions about school security are being held including arming teachers with guns.

The El Paso Teachers Association tells ABC-7 they do not believe in arming teachers is a good idea.

“That is not the solution to this ongoing problem that has been going on for a number of years now. Putting the guns in the hands of teachers is not going to solve the problem,” EPTA President Norma De La Rosa said.

De La Rosa says most teachers are concerned about the possibility, adding that even teachers who have experience with them don’t want them in the classroom.

“They are there to protect her students and will protect our students as much as we can but to put teachers at risk by telling them you can carry a firearm and have it in the classroom, it’s asking for a lot of other things to happen,” De La Rosa said.

“Gun free is an invitation for these people to come in and just shoot,” President Trump said. He added that the right people who are trained could help put an end to shootings.

In a tweet last week, President Trump stated: “Armed educators (and trusted people who work within a school) love our students and will protect them. Very smart people. Must be firearms adept & have annual training. Should get yearly bonus. Shootings will not happen again – a big & very inexpensive deterrent. Up to states.”

In a letter, Texas Governor Greg Abott wrote to the Texas Education Agency’s Commissioner Mike Morath and ordered immediate action to ensure school safety. Gov. Abott asked that the TEA catalog and share all information from the Texas School Safety Center on school safety programs and ensure that all public schools have completed school safety audits. He also added that the TEA “work with the Texas School Safety Center, the Texas Department of Public Safety and my office to draft recommendations to the Texas Legislature on changes to the school safety architecture of our state.”

“Our schools must always be a safe place for learning. Governor Abbott has identified specific steps that can help strengthen campus safety for all students. I have directed TEA staff to begin full implementation of his directives,” Morath said in a statement to ABC-7.

While there was no mention of arming teachers with guns, there are options already available for local school districts including appointing a school marshal or school guardian. The TEA tells ABC-7 a school marshal must have a current concealed handgun license and must be appointed by the board of trustees.

According to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, “After making application with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, a qualifying institution must send the candidate to an 80 hour training course, conducted by a law enforcement academy that has been specifically prepared to provide the school marshal curriculum. Among the topics covered in the School Marshal course are: physical security, improving the security of the campus, use of force, active shooter response, and weapon proficiency. No other course can be substituted or exempt an individual from the specific school marshal training course.”

There’s also as third option where individual school district can enact their own policy.

“These are all local level decisions that are made by the local school district and their Board of Trustees and the agency does not collect any data or any type of information on this. That would strictly be a local district option,” TEA Spokeswoman DeEtta Culberson said.

De La Rosa says school districts should turn the focus on campus security.

“We’re no longer just the classroom teacher. For a lot of our students, we have to be the second parent, we have to be the grandparent, we have to be the counselor, we have to be the social worker, we have to be a nurse. And so what’s on the teacher’s plate now, is far more than what it was 10-20 years ago. And then to add this on top of that you know that he wants to arm teachers in the classroom we get to a point where we have to decide what do we do what was our purpose in becoming educators and teachers and it was to provide the best education that we can for students because they are our future,” De La Rosa said.

The EPTA is in the process of putting a plan together to contact legislators. ABC-7 reached out to each school district in El Paso but none have confirmed if they are exploring the possibility of arming educators.

EPISD President Trent Hatch tells ABC-7 they have had internal discussions regarding safety. Canutillo ISD is holding a community meeting tonight at 5:30 PM at Canutillo High School. San Elizario ISD has enacted a “Secure Your Perimeter” action plan.

Board members with YISD, Fabens ISD and Socorro ISD did not return our request for comment.