A public school district in Oklahoma is making the move to arm select staff members
Wilson Public Schools Superintendent Eric Smith has made an executive decision to allow 5 teachers to train with their own weapons and carry them concealed during school days,
The Superintendent along with the High School Principal, AG Instructor, Technology Director, and the Elementary Principal have all volunteered to take the three 21 hour classes required to carry their concealed weapon on their person during the school days. The beginning of the instruction will include unarmed security procedures, rules, and regulations.
The superintendent, both principals of the elementary and high school, and two teachers will be training in three phases for a total of 60 hours of concealed carry classes on and off the range before they will begin carrying at the schools. The training will be funded by the schools, and the staff will use their own firearms.
“A school shooting situation, even in a small town like Wilson, it is over when the police department arrives,” High School Principal Gary Labeth said. “A tactical team would take 15 minutes coming out of Ardmore. It’s just another level of protection.”
Elementary School Principal Cliff Benson addressed the changes happening worldwide, and the difference between when he was in school versus how schools are today.
School shootings have been more common, since Sandy Hook there have been a shooting each week while school is in session. Making schools gun-free zones has had the opposite of the desired effect,“92% of mass shootings reported from 2009 to ’14 were reported in gun-free zones.”
This school system has got the solution in progress, by arming safe teachers and school staff that are with the children throughout the day, they are creating an emergency plan for the worst case scenario. Hopefully, they will never even have to use their weapon, but any parent would agree that they would want the killer gunned down before he kills children.
“I hope we never have to use it,” School Superintendent Eric said. “I hope it’s a deterrent. That being said, when those kids are here, they are ours and I will do anything to protect them.”
