JACKSON, Wyo. — In response to the statewide repeal of gun-safe zones, the Teton County School District (TCSD) #1 Board of Trustees voted to approve a series of gun safety policies focused on concealed weapons on Wednesday, June 11.
The Board of Trustees read second and final readings of six safety policies that must be abided by all those on TCSD property or at a school event or activity. The policies prohibit open carry, forbid elementary, secondary, homeschool and expelled students from carrying a firearm, mandate safety regulations for staff and establish regulations pertaining to the community’s use of school facilities.
As of July 1, TCSD employees and volunteers will be allowed to carry a concealed weapon on or in property or facilities owned or leased by TCSD, subject to the conditions prescribed by state or federal law, per HB0172 – Repeal gun free zones and preemption amendments. Citizens must meet the statutory requirements to lawfully concealed carry under Wyoming Statute HB0172.
The “Staff Authorized to Conceal Carry a Firearm policy” states that the “Board of Trustees does not endorse the Wyoming Legislature’s policy, eroding local control that is a primary function of elected Board of Trustees. Should this policy no longer be required under Wyoming law (legislatively or judicially), it shall immediately be voided and rescinded and of no further force or effect, with or without action of the Board of Trustees.”
TCSD Superintendent Gillian Chapman reminded the Trustees that any employee can concealed carry without supervision. According to the policy, any TCSD employee or volunteer carrying a firearm on school district property must possess and maintain a valid concealed carry permit issued by the State of Wyoming.
During the discussion, Trustee Jerry Bosch noted that the current language pertaining to gun training requirements were not stringent enough. Bosch told the Trustees that “a rational basis” needs to be established for allowing concealed carry on school property. He stressed that it’s not possible to “be ready to deal with an active shooter situation,” unless an individual has gone through intensive live training.
Originally the policy read that TCSD employees and volunteers must complete no less than 16 hours of live fire handgun training, including 8 hours of scenario-based training using nonlethal training, firearms and ammunition.
“The section that I have major issues with is the use of firearms,” Bosch said. “The language that is in there now basically makes it sound like that we are not only condoning but endorsing someone if they go through the minimum training requirements … they are then allowed to use their firearm in these emergency situations. At least for me, I am not OK with that.”
Bosch said that he met with Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr to learn about law enforcement’s standard operating procedure during a live shooting scenario.
“They are not going to ask questions if they come into an active shooting situation,” Bosch said. “They are going to shoot whoever has a gun. We had a citizen who said, ‘Wear an orange vest.’ I have been told that that’s not going to matter. If you have a gun, and they come in, you are going to be shot. My concern is that we are not responsible for that.”
Board of Trustees Chair Betsy Carlin agreed that the liability aspect had not been considered. Bosch added that any employee who wants to concealed carry, needs to understand the risk.
Based on input from Teton County law enforcement, Bosch’s amendments state that employees and volunteers must complete and pass all of the following: a TCSD physical assessment; an approved school district psychological screening; a background investigation; no less than 2 hours of firearms maintenance and training; no less than 5 hours of safety training; no less than 20 hours of firearms training at a shooting range; no less than 25 hours of weapons and use-of-force training; no less than 8 hours of annual, scenario-based training; an active-use and deadly-force test; a quarterly firearms proficiency test at a shooting range and a bi-annual firearm inspection with a certified armor.
According to TCSD’s amended policy, any employee or volunteer who carries a concealed firearm on school district property or at a school district event “does so at their own risk and assumes all liability and risk associated with an independent decision to carry a concealed firearm.” The policy also states that the choice to carry a concealed firearm “might result in serious bodily injury to themselves or even death.”
Prior to carrying a concealed firearm, employees and volunteers must sign a waiver releasing any cause of action against TCSD. Failure to follow any of these measures can result in immediate suspension and/or termination, Bosch read.
During the final policy readings, Trustee Reade Dornan chose to abstain from the voting process due to her beliefs as a practicing Quaker.
“We don’t believe in fighting back,” Dornan said. “The premise that firearms are going to be on school grounds in order to fight back is a problem for me. As Quakers, we do everything we can to remove ourselves from a situation that would require us to fight. So, I am going to have to step aside and not vote at all.”
Trustee Keith Gingery told the Board of Trustees that the final vote on all of the policies could still be revised if needed in July.
