Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator is asking the Caddo Parish School Board, to allow some faculty and administrators to carry guns on campus. Most Caddo Parish schools have a security guard or a resource officer, but he feels it’s not enough. Prator says schools are an open door to criminals with weapons.
Prator says that the "gun free zone" signs on school campuses are welcoming to evil people who wish to harm others.
Teacher union groups oppose Prator’s proposal. President of the Red River United Union, Jackie Lansdale, says teachers are there to educate students and going beyond that to protect students is more than what they signed up for.
Lansdale says that it would be a "sad day" when teachers would have to fulfill the role of police officers.
Prator says school staff that would be allowed to carry guns, must undergo several hours of training to make sure they can handle a weapon in a crisis situation.
According to Prator, teachers would undergo extensive weapons training as well as psychological training.
Lansdale knows there are challenges facing schools and law enforcement alike with the increase in violence on school campuses. She believes more parental involvement is a better way to stop many copycats from acting out.