Parents Upset To Learn School District Allows Employees To Bring Guns On Campus
RANCHO CORDOVA (CBS13) — A letter explaining a six-year-old gun policy alerted many parents who didn't know that some employees in a school district could bring and store guns.
An email from Folsom Cordova Unified School District Superintendent Deborah Bettencourt called the policy allowing concealed carry weapons permit holders to bring guns a legal safety measure for schools.
Bettencourt says the policy does not allow teachers to have guns on campus, and they won't be in the classroom either. Also, no one can carry a gun on their person during school hours, and the weapons must be locked in a secure location.
But a stunned Amy Dupree thinks gun-toting school staffers could lead to weapons ending up in the wrong hands.
"I just don't think that I feel safer with guns being around my children," she said. "I think I'd be more concerned that a child would get hold of the weapon and cause harm more than I'm concerned that it would stop anyone."
The mother of four wants the district to rethink the policy. While California law prohibits concealed weapon permit holders from schools, it does allow superintendents to make exceptions.
"I don't think there is enough evidence to show that someone carrying a weapon is going to stop someone if they come with the intention of doing harm," Dupree said.
In a letter to parents, Bettencourt says the district could not give parents many details, "such as locations, positions and identities of approved employees - because we and local law enforcement officials believe doing so could create potential threats against sites and individuals."
The district would not reveal how many of its 33 campuses have weapons on them, but says only one firearm is allowed for each employee, and only handguns can be stored, saying it's a "legal and appropriate safety measure given the unfortunate reality of violence in our society today."