Armed teachers in KY...??

This past winter I got the chance to participate in an "active shooter" training exercise for work at a local high school that was under construction at the time. My primary role was to teach the LEO's how to extract wounded patients using the equipment that the Fire Dept. carries. I won't put you to sleep with the details but I will say that I watched each group (group of 3) of LEO's that advanced down the hallways with tactical gear, AR's with simunition and a formation of 2 officers looking straight ahead while the 3rd ran backwards to make sure that nothing was missed, advance toward the sound of "gun fire". Once they found the "shooter" they opened fire and "killed" him.

The Mayor, County Judge as well as every other politician were also present and thought this was just the best thing ever. They sung the praises of how well everything went and how well prepared the local PD is in handling this type of situation. To bad they were blinded by all the flashy, cool looking equipment and failed to realize that the "shooter" "killed" each and every "victim" each and every time. Keep in mind that the shooting didn't even start until a team of 3 LEO's were all geared up with a game plan in hand and waiting at the front office of the school. They didn't have to respond from the other side of town, they didn't have to get all geared up in the parking lot, they didn't have to wait for other LEO's to arrive so they could form their team of 3, they didn't have to dig their AR's out of their trunks, etc.

Needless to say if this exercise was a huge failure when it was only pretend, imagine how fuster clucked it would be in real life. Just last week the same type of training took place in the city that I live in and where I sent my son to school at. I wasn't a part of this exercise but talking to people who were, it was a bigger disaster than the one I just described (1 LEO on duty where I live, about 20 on duty where I work). I can't help but to echo the NRA's stance of having armed guards in our schools. Problem is, we can't afford them. I have been reading about some states allowing their teachers and staff to be armed in lieu of paid, armed guards.

So I checked the KRS's to see if school boards in KY. had the authority to allow this. I'm a little confused. KRS 237.110 states they you may not conceal carry at "Any elementary or secondary school facility without the consent of school authorities as provided in KRS 527.070."

KRS 527.070 talks about a firearm being in your vehicle while on school property, hunting on school property, etc, but makes no mention of "school authorities" having the authority to allow people to carry on school property.

So my question is this. Can local school boards allow teachers and staff to carry while at school or would this be something that the general assembly would have to allow?

Well, I was going to chime in on this one because I thought I already knew this one well but upon going back over the weapon laws for Kentucky, it would seem that I could not locate the KRS that I thought I had seen previously. I thought that at sometime in the past I had read a KRS that stated that it was legal IF the Superintendent and/or School Board authorized it. But I can't locate that KRS now.

On another front thought, there has been talk of either adding to the existing CCDW or creating a secondary "higher" level one that would achieve this exact purpose. Not heard much more about that yet though.

neuroblades said:

Well, I was going to chime in on this one because I thought I already knew this one well but upon going back over the weapon laws for Kentucky, it would seem that I could not locate the KRS that I thought I had seen previously. I thought that at sometime in the past I had read a KRS that stated that it was legal IF the Superintendent and/or School Board authorized it. But I can't locate that KRS now.

On another front thought, there has been talk of either adding to the existing CCDW or creating a secondary "higher" level one that would achieve this exact purpose. Not heard much more about that yet though.

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I was thinking the same thing but I can make enough sense between the two statutes to come up with a clear answer. IF a school board or Superintendent can authorize this then I have a little goal to work toward.... But I have learned not to go quoting laws if you're not 100% clear on what they mean. So until I can get the correct answer I'm just going to stick a pin in this project and hopefully come back to it later.

527.070(3)(f) is what you are looking for.

09jisaac said:

527.070(3)(f) is what you are looking for.

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So do you read it as I do, that the board of education could allow teachers to be armed at school?

self preservation said:

So do you read it as I do, that the board of education could allow teachers to be armed at school?

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I do.

The way I read it is this, They could if the school board oked it, under 3(f). It does say any other person who has been authorized.

gutshot said:

I know of several private schools where the board has authorized some employees to carry. I have not heard of any public school that have done so.

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If you can think of the names of any private schools or states that have allowed private/public schools to carry, please PM some names. I'm about to put a lot of research, time, energy and effort into a presentation that I know will go over like a lead balloon, but I'm going to do it anyhow. I'm sure I'm about to become known as "that crazy SOB that wants our teachers to carry guns", but I know it's the right and most effective way to stop a shooter intend on killing children. And God forbid it ever happens in my area, I hope I will be able to find a little comfort with myself knowing that I at least tried.