Wyoming district allows armed staff in area cited by DeVos
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming school district where U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos suggested that teachers might need to be armed to protect children from grizzly bears voted Tuesday on doing just that, though concerns about school shootings worry parents more than the possibility of big bruins on the prowl.
The 4-2 vote by the Park County School District No. 6 board in the town of Cody near Yellowstone National Park came after more than six months of discussion and debate. Under the proposed policy, school employees would need to have at least 24 hours of initial firearms training and annual recertification to carry concealed guns at school.
“Unfortunately we have people in our country who want to cause harm to students and at some point you have to respond to that threat. And that’s what this board decided to do with the policy they adopted,” said Superintendent Ray Schulte.
The policy was up for a final vote after passing two earlier votes 5-2.