(COLORADO SPRINGS) — One of Colorado Springs’ largest school districts discussed the possibility of allowing designated teachers and staff to conceal carry in an Academy School District 20 study session.
“It is important that we all breathe and understand that we need to look at options,” said Derrick Wilburn, a D20 board member, during Thursday night’s study session. “There are lots of options. This is the first one we’ve discussed. Maybe it’s the right one, or the wrong one. But just understand that we’re trying to dialogue right now.”
Some of the people in the room were there to support D20.
“I would feel much safer sending my own children to D20 if the board adopts this policy,” said Huey Laugesen, executive director of Colorado State Shooting Association (CSSA), and also a D20 parent.
The district would work with the organization FASTER — which stands for Faculty and Administrator Safety Training and Emergency Response. The FASTER program offers a structured curriculum with more than 26 hours of hands-on training over a 3-day class. Per their website, the purpose is not to replace police and EMT, but to allow teachers, administrators and other personnel to respond to school violence and render aid.
“The training they offer is world class, and it is led by active duty law enforcement,” Laugesen said. “And they cover all of the safety protocols necessary to prevent something like that happening.”
With school violence on the rise, Laugesen said with some teachers and staff armed in a school, it could be crucial in stopping an active shooter situation in its tracks.
“Allowing staff members to carry concealed handguns, an attacker has no way of knowing who is or isn’t equipped to stop their attack inside of that building. So that has a very strong deterrent effect,” he said.
However, there were some who opposed the policy, saying this is not something teachers or staff need to take on.
“You cannot be hyper-focused on the safe storage of a firearm when you’re dealing with a child throwing up on somebody’s shoes, or helping somebody with reading, or just general class management,” said Katherine Gayle, a D20 parent.
Gayle said she grew up around guns, with her husband and her father both serving in the military. Since she said she knows her way around firearms, this is all the more reason why they should not be in the hands of teachers.
“One of the first most important things you learn is not only identify your target before you pull the trigger, but look at what’s behind your target. You’re in a school. What is behind your target? Children.”
D20 has not adopted any policy yet, and the school district says it plans on having multiple discussions and taking community input before anything is finalized.
