UVALDE, Texas — The tragedy in Uvalde is not just another reminder of the recurring gun violence in our schools but a reminder of the seemingly age-old question: Should our teachers carry guns?
"This school is an extension of my home. When I step through these doors in the morning I have 115 kids under my roof," said Cody Patton, who is the superintendent at Harrold ISD.
Harrold ISD is a small, rural school district near the Oklahoma border where teachers can conceal-carry.
"One of my teachers said I would not be working here if we did not have that policy in place," said Patton.
The superintendent tells WFAA the program, called Guardian, is only effective if educators are properly trained. Patton says yearly firearm training is required and the district even offers a stipend for teachers who conceal-carry.
In the two days since the Uvalde mass shooting, there have been three reported gun incidents in North Texas. In Arlington ISD, a parent on campus at Duff Elementary was arrested after his concealed weapon accidentally discharged. In Fort Worth ISD, at Meachem Middle School, a tip led to the arrest of a middle school student who had a gun on campus.
And at Richardson ISD, police say a student from Berkner High School was spotted carrying a rifle-type weapon. Police say the student was later arrested on campus when the gun was found in a nearby car. In all three incidents, the offender was arrested and charged with unlawful carrying of weapons in a gun-free zone.
"Maybe we can slow down things or deter it long enough to keep our kids safe," said Patton.
Patton says the nearest law enforcement to Harrold is 20 minutes away. Conceal-carry for teachers is Harrold ISD's answer to gun violence at schools. It may not be the answer for many districts, but it will be talked about over the summer.