Harrold ISD officials discuss concealed weapons in classroom with lawmakers
By: David Gonzalez
Updated: February 5, 2013
The fight over gun control heads away from our nation's capitol on Monday.
President obama traveled to Minnesota where he stressed the importance of stricter, universal background checks for gun buyers and a ban on military assault weapons and high capacity magazines.
However, in Austin last week, David Thweatt, superintendent of Harrold Independent School District, along with school officials from Union Grove ISD and Van ISD, were all part of a panel testifying before before a Joint Senate Committee on Agricultural, Rural Affairs and Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Education to discuss school safety.
Thweatt says state legislators wanted to hear about the fact Harrold ISD allows certain teachers and staff to carry concealed weapons on campus.
In 2008, Harrold ISD was thrust into the national spotlight in after becoming the first school district in America to allow teachers to carry concealed handguns in classrooms.
Thweatt explained his guardian plan to state lawmakers.
"I think the committee were very positive towards any of the schools that were implementing our policy," Thweatt says.
Thweatt says now that other school districts have started implementing similar policies, it is time to start pushing for statewide standardized guidelines.
Thweatt says, "A lot of school districts are contacting me to try and implement our plan and what I've been trying to contact the legislators about is just coming up with the standardize training that can be implemented and taught across the state so school leaders have a tool at their disposal to send their employees for that type of training."
Overall, Thweatt is satistifed with the reception he received from lawmakers and hopes decisions can be made soon; securing the safety of the students.
Thweatt spoke with Lieutentant Governor David Dewhurst and says the only concern Dewhurst has is that he wants to come up with funding to possibly help with schools for further training.
