A private school in Arlington Texas is beginning to arm their administrators with firearms to help keep children in the school safe.
According to Fox 4 News, Pantego Christian Academy says they have had plans to arm their administrators with guns since before the shooting in Parkland, Florida. This plan came as a shock to many as teachers and private schools are not allowed to carry firearms on campus. However, teachers in public school districts are allowed to do so.
An estimated 87% of private schools in the United States have less than 300 students. However, Pantego Christian Academy has about 600 to 700 students. Fox News says the school has a campus in Mansfield and in Arlington. The president of the school, Dr. Jeff Potts, says he wants the public to be aware of the fact that at any given time, any of their administrators on their campuses may be carrying a concealed weapon. Potts alerted parents in February that this newly added security, known as the School Marshal Program, was in full effect. He spoke with Fox 4 News about the new security.
“We are arming select individuals who meet certain criteria. And they are administrative type people who are in close proximity to all of our classrooms,” Potts said. “It’s not Florida. It’s the culture today, and it’s something we felt led to do.”
Potts did say that any administrator who is walking around campus with a concealed weapon will be properly trained and undergo a psychiatric evaluation. He wants parents to know that the school is willing to do anything they can to help protect their students. Now, even though administrators will be carrying guns, teachers will not be allowed to do so. The school is going to follow the rules that state no teacher in a private school can carry a concealed weapon. They want to play by the rules while still making the extra safety efforts.
At this time, Potts says his school might be the only private school in North Texas to utilize the program.