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Peetz Community Debates Conceal Carry

The Peetz school community came together Thursday night to address how best to protect its students.

At issue is if the Peetz School District should seek staff volunteer as armed security as well as teachers or administrators.

The meeting was lead by Superintendent Mark Collard with a slide presentation of concerns and issues. One of the concerns listed is the changes in society. Many of the parents and teachers were of the age they could recall when students in rural schools could drive to school with a gun rack in the back of a pickup. It was a common occurrence because of the rural environment. Incidents involving school shootings have changed that.

Columbine High School in Colorado recently commemorated the 19th anniversary of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold staging an assault on the school. Research since the attack indicates the two students initially planned propane bombs. When the bombs failed to explode, they entered the school, killing 12 students and a teacher before it was over.

The list of schools has grown to include places like Sandy Hook, and Parkland, Fla. Thursday's meeting was an effort to not be on that list, according to Collard.

"Chances of something catastrophic happening is probably pretty slim, but you never know," he said.

The issue surrounded having the best first response if a person does enter the school building with a firearm and intent to cause injury or worse.

"We have surveyed our staff," he said. "The staff thinks its a good idea."

Some of the questions surrounding the discussion is who would do it (conceal carry) and how would the administration decide. Collard said the District is not at the point of seeking volunteers.

One of the teaching staff at Fleming, Karl Donnelson, who is also a conceal carry volunteer for the district, was present also. He said in Fleming, a staff member has to be employed by the district for at least a year before qualifying to carry. Qualifying for the program includes a psych evaluation, voice stress analysis as well as firearm qualification.

Logan County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Littlefield was present at the meeting to help answer questions.

"They (teachers who volunteer to Conceal Carry) are actually going to go through the same training as I do," Littlefield said.

Training is provided by Faculty/Administrator Safety Training and Emergency Response (FASTER). The FASTER training is more intense than just Conceal Carry classes. Donnelson said in addition to firearms training, educators are trained in non-lethal restraint methods.

One member of the public asked if there are non-lethal options such as stun guns. The response was that if a person enters the school intent on causing harm it will be difficult to stop them without lethal force. The comment was made that assailants like "soft targets." Soft targets are defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "a person or thing that is relatively unprotected or vulnerable, especially to military or terrorist attack."

Collard said cost to the school will be about $3,000, less in following years.

Another member of the audience insisted the school not put this duty on teachers. She said protection of the students ought to be a community task and let teachers focus on teaching. She said the school district should be seeking volunteers from the community, or retired veterans. Donnelson said the best defense is to have responders within the building.

Deputy Littlefield said in the case of Parkland, Fla., the trained resource officer did not respond. He added that the teacher who died in the incident could have prevented the loss of life.

"If the teacher that died saving those kids, if he was trained and proficient, he would have stopped it," Littlefield said.

He added the best advise is to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Donnelson said school staff who are authorized conceal carry are first responders only; once law enforcement enter the scene, "We're done" referring to the role of teachers as first responders.

Thursday's meeting was scheduled as a dialogue between the school district and the community. No decision was made.

 

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