Local school district to discuss allowing teachers to carry guns

As the country continues to mourn those lives lost in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the idea of gun control and who should have them is re-surfacing.

Many people are talking about arming teachers to protect their students.

A school district in Harrold Texas adopted a policy called “The Guardian Plan,” which allows teachers who have a concealed handgun license to carry a gun with them at school.

Administrators in Bonneville School District #93 said it’s definitely something they’ll have to talk about.

“It will certainly be a topic of discussion. Where it goes from there, I’m not certain,” said Guy Bliesner.

Bliesner — Health, Safety & Security Coordinator for Bonneville School District 93 — said the uncertainty stems from a variety of factors that many don’t think about.

“I’m not sure how many would choose to carry, how many could be effectively trained and how many would pass a psychological evaluation to carry,” said Bliesner. “That doesn’t mean they’re not good people, it just means they aren’t fit to carry a gun in a high-stress situation.”

Allowing teachers to carry guns on campus has been widely discussed for years. Bliesner said in Idaho, it’s up to the school district and ultimately the School Board to make that decision.

“If it were to happen, if someone said do it and be ready by tomorrow, it would take us a year — minimum,” said Bliesner.

In the meantime, District 93 has increased security levels.

Bliesner said it has accepted more officer presence from the Bonneville County Sheriff to discourage any possible threat.

During the last Idaho legislative session, a bill that would have allowed concealed carry permits on college campuses passed in the house, but failed in the senate.

In the State of Utah, the law allows anyone with a permit to carry a gun in public schools and state colleges and universities.

Oklahoma is considering a similar law that would allow teachers to bring guns to school.