Oklahoma School District Paying For Staff Training

by
posted on September 14, 2015
si-news-2015-5-28-15.jpg (20)

An Oklahoma school district is footing the bill for six staff members to complete a 120-hour course to qualify for state-authorized concealed-carry firearms permits, following the passage of House Bill 2014 and its subsequent signing by Gov. Mary Fallin in May, which allows individual school districts to make the decision to arm teachers and administrators. 

Wilson Public Schools, located near Ardmore, OK, is the first to move forward with permitting administrators to carry firearms for protection under the new law. Once they complete the course, the half-dozen staffers will be allowed to carry concealed sometime in November, according to school officials.

Having six armed staffers on the school’s campus will place one armed, qualified person in each of the district’s buildings. Each person will be responsible for providing and maintaining his or her own handgun for carry purposes. 

“In today’s world with things that are happening, you have to do whatever you can to protect your school district and the children who come to school here … and that’s what we are doing,” Wilson Public Schools Superintendent Eric Smith told News9 television this week.  

In other Oklahoma firearms news this week, State Bureau of Investigation assistant director Bryan Rizzi announced this week that 2015 is on track to be is the second-most popular year for concealed-carry applications and the biggest on record for renewals. 

Rizzi told Oklahoma City television station KOCO there have been approximately 32,790 first-time applications and 14,754 renewals during 2015, for a total of 47,544 applications. In 2013, the year with the highest number of applications, there were 61,144 applications. 

Presently in Oklahoma, more than 231,000 persons have permits authorized by the State Bureau of Investigation, a number that does not include those residing in the state with permits issued in other states holding reciprocal agreements in Oklahoma.

Latest

Pard TD5
Pard TD5

First Look: PARD Optics TD5 Thermal / Nightvision Scope

Night vision, ambient light and thermal optics, all in one scope.

Fightin' Iron: Rent-A-Gun?

Creating and/or maintaining movie guns is a complex business, and some prop houses are virtual wizards of weaponry.

The Rise Of The “Wonder Nine”

There was a time when 9mm semi-automatic pistols were not the default option for concealed carry.

Review: Safariland ALS Optic Tactical Holster for Red Dot Optics

A duty holster that can handle everything you throw at it.

First Look: Hawke Optics H2 Vantage LPVOs

Three new reticle options in a second focal plane 1-8x24mm optic.

Keeping It In Perspective

Sheriff Jim urges us to work on getting better with the gear we have, rather than looking for the next big thing.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Illustrated delivered to your inbox.