LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Every School in Arkansas should always have an armed presence , that’s what the Arkansas School Safety Commission recommends. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson formed the commission after the Parkland, Florida school shooting earlier this year. The commission issued its preliminary report this week that also recommends all schools should have a trained resource officer on school grounds whenever financially feasible.
At a press conference this week, Hutchinson said teachers will not be required to carry guns, but emphasized that each school needs at least one armed person on staff.
"There's so much expression of emotion about teachers being armed, and that's why I underscored the point. There's nothing in the recommendations and nothing in my philosophy that would mandate that. " Hutchinson explained, " Teachers should never be required to carry a firearm, and I think that's what the public is responding to."
But some are saying having more armed School Resource Officers in schools isn’t the only answer. Eve Jorgensen, leader of the group Arkansas Moms Demand Action, told Arkansas Public Media that other measures should be part of the mix.
"We know there were SRO's (School Resource Officers) at Parkland and Santa Fe and there were still really deadly school shootings," explained Jorgenson. "So we need something that's going to prevent these kids from accessing weapons and bringing them to school,"
The commission’s 18-member panel is composed of law enforcement and school officials, mental health professionals, and parents. It’s report did suggest increasing mental health resources for students, noting that a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control indicated Arkansas students lead the nation in a host of high risk categories, such as bullying, sexual violence, and suicide attempts. A final report is expected on November 30th.
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