AUSTIN— Following Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s comments Friday on allowing state-funded, specialized firearms training for teachers and administrators, Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) State President Deann Lee said she would not want to be the educator nominated to carry a weapon in her school district to protect against school shootings.
While speaking to the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Dewhurst said his plan to protect schools would allow school districts to designate someone on each campus to carry a weapon, according to the Associated Press.
“As an educator with a handgun license, I would not want to be one of the designees,” Lee said. “I feel the margin of error and the incredible liability these ideas would place on a school district could be devastating. A tremendous amount of training would be needed before someone other than a law enforcement or military officer could make the decisions necessary in such a position of responsibility.”
ATPE does not have an official position on allowing teachers to carry concealed handguns in schools but will be holding discussions about this issue with its leaders and members at the organization’s upcoming Political Involvement Training and Lobby Day in February at the State Capitol and at its annual education conference during the summer.
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With more than 110,000 members, the Association of Texas Professional Educators is the preeminent educators’ association in Texas and the largest nonunion educators’ group nationwide. Its membership consists of classroom teachers, para-educators, administrators, college students and retired educators. ATPE is committed to advocating for better benefits for all educators, promoting a collaborative work environment and the right of educators to choose the association they feel represents their interests, and providing the best education possible for all Texas school children.
- – Association of Texas Professional Educators