Colorado school district decides to allow teachers to arm themselves on campus

DENVER – A rural Colorado school district decided Wednesday night to allow its teachers and other school staff to carry guns on campus to protect students. The Hanover School District 28 board voted 3-2 to allow school employees to volunteer to be armed on the job after undergoing training. The district's two schools serve about 270 students about 30 miles southeast of Colorado Springs, and it takes law enforcement an average of 20 minutes to get there. The district currently shares an armed school resource officer with four other school districts. Board member Michael Lawson backed the idea not only as way to protect students from a mass shooting, but also as protection against possible violence connected with nearby marijuana grows, which he believes are connected with foreign cartels, the Gazette of Colorado Springs reported. School board President Mark McPherson said a survey showed the community was split on the issue. While staffers would get some training, the retired Army officer said he didn't think it would be enough to help them respond effectively to an active shooter. He worries what would happen if they fired and missed in a classroom.