Pridemore offers gun option for teachers

A former state lawmaker-turned-school-boardmember is pitching a proposal that could open the door to armed teachers in the Hartford Joint 1 School District in Washington County.

Former state Rep. Don Pridemore began circulating a five-point resolution to his colleagues on the board last week. One provision would allow school staff and community members with concealed carry permits to receive specialized training to carry weapons on school property.

“Teachers would be my last choice; they have enough to do as it is,” said Pridemore, the school board’s vice president, who served in the state Assembly between 2005 and 2015. “But they may feel compelled to do it, not only for their own safety but for the safety of their kids, as well.”

District Administrator Mark Smits said he has not seen the resolution and could not comment on it. He declined to share his own views on the arming of teachers, saying his role is to implement board policy. And he said the board is expected to schedule a future meeting for a communitywide discussion about school safety at its meeting Tuesday night.

Pridemore’s proposal comes amid a heightened national debate over school safety and gun control following a deadly shooting at a Florida high school last month, and as state lawmakers near agreement on a $100 million school safety plan that some Democrats fear could lead to more guns in schools.

And he is not alone. Last month, Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said he would train teachers if the state Legislature would allow it, and President Donald Trump voiced support for a National Rifle Association proposal to arm teachers.

At the same time, there is a growing public support for at least some gun-control measures, and most educators say they do not believe teachers should be armed.

Under Pridemore’s resolution, staff who agree to carry a weapon during the school day could be “deputized” by local law enforcement and see a boost in pay for their service. State law currently prohibits guns on school property except by law enforcement and others contracted to carry them, and a few other narrow circumstances.

In addition, his resolution calls for:

❚ Creating a police substation at the high school, which falls under a separate school board, and parking a police car outside the building as a deterrent.

❚ Removing all signs designating school buildings as gun-free zones and replacing them with others noting that there may be armed police officers and others licensed and certified to carry concealed weapons in the building.

❚ Inviting retired police officers and Secret Service officers to volunteer at the middle and high school.