BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — A proposed weapons policy in Barrow County Schools could see some employees carrying guns on campus, if approved.
The policy would allow certain employees, appointed by the Superintendent and approved by the board of education, to carry weapons on any building owned or leased by the school system.
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Any unapproved employees found to be carrying weapons on campus will be disciplined and could face possible termination, the proposal goes on to say.
Employees whose primary job is in the classroom will not be authorized to carry any type of weapons.
Those who are approved will receive written authorization that describes which specific weapons were approved and for what period of time.
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Before anyone is approved they will be required to undergo training on “judgement, pistol shooting, marksmanship, and a review of current laws relating to the use of force for the defense of self or others.” The Superintendent can choose to allow employees to skip certain trainings if they have previous experience in the military or law enforcement.
The proposed policy has been tabled until the Barrow County Board of Education’s regularly scheduled meeting on October 4. It is unclear if a vote on the policy would be held at that meeting.
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Earlier this year, the Cobb County School Board voted to allow selected staff to carry weapons on school campuses.
“Teachers are not going to be armed,” said Cobb County Superintendent Chris Ragsdale. “It is very important, obviously, for us to exhaust every possible option for keeping our staff and students safe.”
The decision was met with mixed reaction from parents. While some felt it added to a level of security, others felt that putting more weapons around students was not the answer to keeping them safe.
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