Central Texas school district allows some staffers to carry weapons

Some staff members at Lometa ISD will soon be able to carry concealed weapons.

Lometa School Board members unanimously approved a proposal to allow 10 district employees to carry firearms on campus.

"We are a small school, we're 15 miles away from the nearest town, we just felt like where we're at we needed to concern ourselves," Lometa Superintendent David Fisher said.

Under a state law passed in 2013, Texas school boards may grant permission for employees to carry firearms.

"I think parents want to make sure that their kids are safe over here," Fisher said.

The school has fewer than 300 students, most of whom attend class in a single building.

Another small building in the back houses the high school students.

"We can't depend on other people to help us because by the time they get here the situation could be over. We're not trying to throw our local police under the bus, they do a good job, but they're also limited to what they can do," Fisher said.

Citing security reasons, the district is keeping the names of the employees approved to carry weapons confidential.

The names, however, will be handed over to local law enforcement agencies.

"I would like to tell people that our kids will be safe as long as we have a say about it," Fisher said.

Before staff members are allowed to set foot on campus with a firearm, Fisher said they will undergo hours of training.

"We will be setting up a plan, a security plan that will be followed so it's done as safely as possible" Fisher said.

While no set date has been set in place for the training, the ten school employees could be carrying guns as early as this school year.

"So far there hasn't been any negative reactions from parents," Fisher said.