The Tamaqua (PA) School District recently announced its intention to allow teachers to carry firearms in the district's three schools, and parents—as well as some teachers—are voicing their objections to the proposal.
According to the Spokesman-Review, Tamaqua school board members "endangered their community" when they approved a "manifestly illegal" policy to give weapons to teachers and other school employees, according to a lawsuit filed by three parents and a grandparent.
The debate over arming teachers, administrators, and other staff has been raging since 20 children were among 26 victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 15, 2012.
The argument was then re-ignited following the February 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland (FL) that left 17 students and staff dead and wounded 17 others.
"In Tamaqua, the firearms policy approved in September says that teachers and other employees can volunteer to carry concealed, district-issued guns after training," the Spokesman-Review said in its report.
Not all board members are in opposition to the proposal.
School board member Nicholas Boyle said, "When we have a shooter in the building, how are we going to stop that shooter from killing more and more and more people? We have to have an armed presence there."
