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Childress ISD to Allow Employees Access to Guns

Robert Nelson/Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertnelson/

A school district in the Texas panhandle has voted to allow some employees to have access to firearms to defend against an intruder.Childress ISD became the third in the state to enact such a policy when the school board approved it unanimously this week. 

“We need to protect our children in light of everything else that’s happening in this country," says Childress ISD superintendent Rick Teran. "This is a step in that direction.” 

Teran says the guns will be held in a secure location and won’t be carried by employees. Teachers and staff who are allowed the guns will receive intruder training by the Texas Department of Public Safety. 

Teran says Childress ISD has hired a former state trooper to help them establish a security plan. The district will also invest in buzz-in locks and security cameras. 

Many urban school district in Texas have armed police officers at campuses. AISD has one at every middle and high school. 

Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. He covers the big projects that are reshaping how we get around Austin, like the I-35 overhaul, the airport's rapid growth and the multibillion dollar transit expansion Project Connect. He also focuses on the daily changes that affect how we walk, bike and drive around the city. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @KUTnathan.