As faith leaders formed in peacemaking, we are deeply grieved by the recent decision of the San Marcos CISD school board to institute a school marshal program which would place concealed firearms in the hands of school employees. We support the goal of keeping our children and community safe, but putting concealed guns into the hands of school personnel is not the answer. We appeal to the board to reconsider this decision, or at least to take a few more sessions to consider a wider range of options.
There were many benefits highlighted about a school marshal program including checking physical security of our schools, developing response plans, medical first response training, and even assisting with car lines and lunch duty. These are important safety activities that do not require a concealed gun to perform.
When given the opportunity to implement a school safety program incorporating all the proposed safety improvements, with the only exception to not arm school employees, the board declined to discuss it. In the spirit of collaboration and hope, we ask the board to reconsider this discussion.
We support our local law enforcement and support the school resource officers (SRO) program. SROs are trained uniformed and armed active- duty police officers in visible roles protecting schools. These officers build friendships with students and foster trust in our local police. Police Chief Standridge says he cannot find any officers willing to serve in the role of SROs. Chief Standridge also stated if he found any willing SRO officers, he would not allocate them to school, but instead direct them to the field. As a result, the school administration recommended the board arm school employees with concealed weapons.
As pastors, we are deeply conflicted over the use of lethal force in any situation. We also understand the realities of our broken world. At times, some of us have even engaged off-duty officers to help protect our congregations. That said, there is no data that arming employees through the School Marshal programs make schools safer. And as one military veteran among us highlighted, even among the military ranks, friendly fire and accidental shootings account for as much as 24% of casualties.
What happens if a child, staff, or community member is accidently hurt or killed by a concealed gun in our school?
The school district currently has uniformed, trained, armed law enforcement active and visible at our schools. The SRO program is active at our secondary schools. Additionally, the district contracts with active-duty law enforcement officers to protect our elementary schools. It appears the board will replace these uniformed officers in elementary schools with armed school employees. In an effort to resolve hiring challenges regarding active law enforcement to protect our children, the board has lowered the safety standards, taken on liability for arming school employees, and created dangerous and unnecessary problems with unforeseen impacts.
We encourage the board to adopt all the safety recommendations presented in the marshal program with the exception of arming school employees. We support the board in their work to publicly engage with our parents, staff, and community to build trust and teamwork, and to keep our schools safe. We ask the board to continue to support our uniformed SROs and contracted officer programs already protecting our schools. And we appeal to the board to keep concealed guns out of our schools.
In peace, respect, and hope,
Pastor Bonnie Bevers The Rev. Tim Bauerkemper The Rev. James Bouzard The Rev. Adam R. Knapp The Rev. Madeline Hawley The Rev. Dr. Jimmy Cobb The Rev. Jessica Cain The Rev. Dr. Todd Salmi The Rev. Gregory L Ross The Rev. Wes Cain The Rev. Peter F. Casparian The Rev. Christian Hawley
