“[The Arkansas Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies] voted Wednesday to allow 13 school districts in Arkansas to continue using teachers, administrators and other staff as armed guards,” king5.com reports. The Board had withdrawn their seal of approval from Natural State educators after Attorney General Dustin McDaniel ruled that school officials couldn’t circumvent the Gun Free School Zones Act by becoming private dicks. On Hump Day, the Arkansas Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies revoked their revocation. For two more years; until the legislature can clear a less convoluted path to school carry. At the same time, the Board closed their doors to any more school employees looking to tool-up. Even so, we’re talking about a fair few numbers of armed educators who are now kinda sorta OK to carry in school . . .
Clarksville, a 2,500-student district in western Arkansas, had trained 22 teachers and staff this year to work as volunteer security guards carrying concealed handguns. Licenses for 14 of those trained had already been approved by the state . . .
The 53-hour training program for Clarksville included roleplaying drills of school shootings, with teachers and staff using “airsoft” pellet guns and students wearing protective facemasks and jackets.
Hopkins said the district spent about $70,000 for training and stipends for program participants to buy handguns.
After the hearing, he said he would move quickly to reinstate the program.
“From this point forward, the general public needs to assume our guards are armed at school,” he said.
The general public and, I’m thinking, psychotic killers looking for a soft target. Needless to say, msnbc.com reported the news with an eye to finding the Worst Person in the World. Turns out it’s Arkansas State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson.
Arkansas State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson (nephew of Asa Hutchinson, who pushed the National Rifle Association’s School Shield Task Force proposal to allow guns in schools) took part in “active shooter” simulation at a school. Hutchinson accidentally shot a police officer portraying a teacher. The officer was not harmed by Hutchinson’s rubber bullet-loaded pistol.
According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “the experience gave Hutchinson some pause, but he still supports giving schools the authority to decide how best to secure their campuses.”
Hutchinson later told the New York Daily News, “The tough part is when law enforcement does arrives, it’s hard to distinguish between the good guys with guns and the bad guys with guns. There were shots in the hallway, there’s a man shooting into the classroom, and I shot that person.”
Grist for the gun-grabbers’ mill. And? The Natural State’s educators seems ready, willing and (more or less) able to take responsibility for their students’ safety, regardless of politicians who put roadblocks in the way of armed defense.
why is King5 (an NBC affiliate in Seattle WA) commenting on an AR issue? oh well.
You know, back when I was a teenager it was always ESAD. I wonder whatever happened to that expression.
I’ve used it here a few dozen times in the past year here, Gov.
Me too, although I write it ES&D. The classics just never get old.
I like the ampersand. Classy. I might have to borrow that.
I’d be cautious, if I were you. I’m pretty sure Bill Gates OWNS the ampersand.
He gave up the rights to it as part of the settlement of the US anti-trust suit in 2001. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Microsoft_antitrust_case
I am ok but I hope they have more than just one training course and get drills yearly.
When Hutchison shot the defender shooter, instead of the bad guy shooter, he made the right choice. The evidence available to him indicated that this person was shooting at the children, so he should be stopped immediately with deadly force.
The problem was caused by poor communication between the defender shooters. There are several ways to prevent that from happening. The most obvious method is via radios, but there are others.
If a defender accidentally shoots a LEO or even one of the students, how does this compare to just hiding behind the whiteboard and letting the active shooter do whatever he wants instead? Life is not without a particle of risk. The risk of intentional and continued injuries from an active shooter seems to far outweigh the possibility of an accidental injury from a good guy defender.
Senator Jeremy Hutchinson, did not have the 53 hours training the teachers had, so I’d cut him some slack. Sounds like the training did pay off for the school personnel.
My two kids could be going to arkansas public schools in a few years…hopefully this program sticks around.
I don’t understand RF’s wording in the article:
“The ABPIPSA initially responded to Attorney General Dustin McDaniel opinion that Board certification of teachers and administrators by revoking their imprimatur. On Hump Day, they revoked their revocation—for two more years. While cutting-off the possibility of any new applicants seeking to exploit the ‘loophole.’.”
The first sentence does not even seem to be grammatically correct. I just don’t understand the second sentence. And the third sentence again is not grammatically correct.
I am not trying to be a grammar Nazi. I truly don’t understand what RF was trying to say.
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said teachers’ couldn’t carry under the law. The ABPIPSA knuckled under and kissed the AG’s @ss. Then the ABPIPSA reversed themselves and told the AG to FOAD. For the next two years. At which time the ABPIPSA will revisit.
Got it?
I’m thinking this means they’re not going to be kissing my ass. Did I get that part right?
Ah, crystal clear. Thanks Ralph!
Fair enough. Text amended.
This is awesome. I’ll wager that an active shooting will never happen (successfully, at least) at any of the Arkansas schools that implement that program (cowards prefer to choose softer targets).
With so many armed teachers, chances are that by the time the cops show up,this situation will likely have been resolved by the defenders. All the police will need to do will be to bag and tag Mr. psycho’s body.
and refuel the APC
I’m sure they’ll find a dog to shoot on the way back to the station. Wouldn’t want them leaving empty handed.
Like the comment about refueling the APC,funny!Just glad to see a progression to keeping the kids safe,wish schools across the nation would use a little common sense and follow this lead.Be prepared and ready.Keep your powder dry.
“Hutchinson accidentally shot a police officer portraying a teacher. ”
Yeah, you’re not allowed to mess up during training! What’s wrong with you?! You think learning from dropping the ball in a controlled environment is what it’s for or somethi……….
This beats cowering in fear and begging for ones life.
Yeah, that’s a tried-and-true method for staying alive.
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