On Monday, the Columbia, Missouri, school board voted to allow “select staff” to carry concealed handguns in public schools for use in the defense of their own lives and the lives of school children.
According to KRCG 13, the staff who will carry guns must have 10 years of law enforcement experience and “undergo 24 hours of firearms training every year.” This will include putting the staff through “shoot/don’t shoot exercises” to keep them sharp on when and how to use deadly force.
Columbia school board vice president James Whitt opposed arming staff, saying “the fact that they’re trained and certified law officials doesn’t mean they can’t make mistakes.” He also suggested school security “was becoming too militarized.”
Board member Darin Preis opposed arming staff for self-defense as well. He said he fears someone could get shot “unnecessarily.”
Earlier in 2014 Missouri lawmakers passed SB-656 to allow school boards to arm teachers and staff, if they so chose. The bill was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon (D). But in September Breitbart News reported that the Missouri house and senate overrode Nixon’s veto to open the door for teachers to carry guns for defense of themselves and students.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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