In a blow to lovers of gun-free zones everywhere, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a number of bills designed to improve school security. Included in the measures are provisions to fund school personnel training and lift a cap on the number of armed teachers and other employees allowed in the state’s schools.
As the Austin American Statesman reports,
[Under SB 11] School districts will be able to use the extra $10 per student toward improving the infrastructure of their campuses to make them safer; employing school resource officers or training school marshals (school employees voluntarily trained to use a gun on school property); and active shooter training among other provisions. …
HB 1387 eliminates the cap on the number of school marshals. Supporters told lawmakers that having an unlimited amount of school marshals can help rural school districts that can’t afford or otherwise don’t have access to an on-campus police force. Some law enforcement agencies are skeptical of school marshals because they aren’t trained to the same degree as peace officers, and other opponents believe more guns on campus threatens students’ safety.
Here’s the Associated Press’s report:
By JIM VERTUNO
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law several measures meant to boost school security, including ones that will allow armed teachers in schools and increase mental health services for students.
The bills signed Thursday were passed this year in response to the 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School near Houston that killed eight students and two substitute teachers, and wounded 13 other people. A student at the school has been charged in the killings.
One of the new laws allows schools to arm as many teachers and campus personnel as local officials see fit. The state’s school marshal program requires marshals to undergo 80 hours of training, including active shooter scenarios.
Teachers groups and gun control advocates have opposed allowing more guns in schools.
Texas lawmakers did not pass any new gun restrictions after the shooting.
The AP says that like it’s a bad thing.