Guns In Schools Bill H415: Another Solution in Search of A Problem

Currently, Idaho school district Boards of Education are permitted to enact policies that allow for district employees, with permission from school and district administration and the Board, to carry concealed weapons. Numerous Idaho districts have enacted such policies.

Recently, the Idaho House of Representatives passed H415, a bill written by the National Rifle Association and sponsored by Rep. Ted Hill (R-Eagle). The bill was presented absent any consultation with the Idaho Education Association, the Idaho School Boards Association, the Idaho Association of School Administrators, or Idaho’s School Resource Officers, all of which opposed the bill.

Here are a few of the many issues with H415:

• The Firearms on School Property bill, as H415 is titled, would override any local school district weapons policies and allow an individual school employee or contracted volunteer to carry a concealed weapon, as long as the employee informs his/her principal and Superintendent.

• According to the legislation, School Board members do not need to be informed of who is carrying in district buildings. Mr. Hill shockingly could not understand why school boards would be part of the information sharing, even though they have statutory responsibility for the safety of children in their districts.

• Under this legislation, parents would also have no knowledge of which teachers and staff were carrying weapons. Parents also would have no ability to request teachers who were or were not carrying.

• This bill requires that employees procure an enhanced firearms license, which requires eight (8) hours of training and live firing of 98 rounds, far short of practice and repetition requirements for law enforcement and certainly not reflective of the reality employees would face in an active shooter situation.

• A school gun incident would be the most stressful situation an educator would face in his/her career. Would the teacher or staff member holding the gun be able to react calmly and remain clear-headed during the situation when their adrenaline is in overdrive?

• What would happen if the teacher had a gun in his/her hand when law enforcement arrived? Would the police know the difference between the good guys and the bad guys? What if an innocent teacher were accidentally killed by law enforcement?

• What would be the long-term consequences if a teacher made a wrong decision or aimed poorly and wounded, or, heaven forbid, took the life of an innocent child?

• Legitimate school liability concerns exist with H415. One representative indicated that his district’s Superintendent had already indicated that the district’s liability insurer intends to drop their coverage if the bill becomes law.

• Carrying teachers and administrators placed on probation by the School Board would be allowed to continue to carry weapons, as would classified employees (bus drivers, playground supervisors, teacher’s aides, among others) facing dismissal.

• School boards or administrators will have no authority to limit what employees can carry, nor are there methods for principals, superintendents, or boards of trustees to revoke privileges.

It is telling that Idaho teachers, administrators, school board associations, or law enforcement officials do not want this bill. The very people most directly impacted by a school shooting are not seeking this  “opportunity” for employees to carry.

As was pointed out during committee and floor debate, no educators or other educational or safety experts asked for House Bill 415. It is the product of cloistered thinking that considers no points of view other than that of the author and his powerful lobby partner.

Why doesn’t the legislature provide funding for School Resource Officers to provide safety services to every Idaho School District? Bill sponsor Representative Hill raised this issue several times and deemed it “too expensive.” Too expensive for our kids’ safety? This ill-conceived and potentially harmful legislation should be removed from consideration. Instead, a group of stakeholders should be appointed to make reasonable recommendations for improving safety in Idaho’s schools.

Dr. Geoff Thomas and Dr. Don Coberly, former Idaho school superintendents, wrote this article.