SAN ANTONIO -- Undercover marshals monitor safety on airplanes, but is it time for schools to train and certify employees, possibly teachers, to serve as armed marshals? Local school district leaders don’t think so.
State Rep. Jason Villalba, (R) Dallas, filed the Protection of Texas Children Act. That proposed legislation would allow districts to select employees to become school marshals using lethal force, if students are under attack in the classroom or anywhere on campus.
The aim is to cut down response time in an emergency, but the plan is raising some concern.
Here is how some school districts responded:
*“Harlandale ISD believes in and prefers a gun free environment,” according to spokesperson, Leslie Garza.
*Judson ISD and Edgewood ISD plan to wait and see what happens in Austin with many school safety bills floating around.
*"No, we are not asking teachers to carry guns,” said NISD spokesman, Pascual Gonzales.
*"We think this should be a local decision. For SAISD, we have a policy that prohibits firearms in our schools, with the exception of our police officers,” said Leslie Price, SAISD public information officer.
*South San Antonio ISD spokesman, Ed Suarez, told us their policy opposes teachers and other employees carrying weapons, with the exception of district police.
*"I can tell you that uniformed presence has always been a great deterrent here in San Antonio. I would have to think that we would have to continue to do that line of security for our schools," said George Castaneda, North East ISD Police Chief.
Josh Felker, owner of Lone Star Handgun, said 400 teachers received free firearms training at his business.
He thinks the proposed law has merit, but should not limit the number of employees who could be certified to carry weapons.
Parents have mixed feelings about teachers serving as possible undercover peace officers at schools.
