When classes start Aug. 25 in the tiny Harrold school district, there will be one distinct difference from years prior: Some of the teachers may have guns.
To deter and protect against school shootings, trustees have altered district policy to allow employees to carry concealed weapons if they have a state permit and permission from the administration. The 110-student district lies 150 miles northwest of Fort Worth on the eastern end of Wilbarger County, near the Oklahoma border...
Superintendent David Thweatt said a main concern was that the small community is a 30-minute drive from the sheriffÂ’s office, leaving students and teachers without protection...
"When the federal government started making schools gun-free zones, thatÂ’s when all of these shootings started," Thweatt said. "Why would you put it out there that a group of people canÂ’t defend themselves? ThatÂ’s like saying 'sic Â’emÂ’ to a dog."
