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Teton County’s school staff and volunteers will need to complete hours of training before carrying concealed firearms on campus.
Board members crafted the new policies over recent weeks in response to a state law passed this year ending “gun free zones” in many public spaces, such as K-12 schools, universities and public meetings.
The statewide change goes into effect on July 1.
To respond, Teton County School District No. 1 policy states that prior to carrying a firearm on school district property or at an event, employees and volunteers “shall complete an initial training course.” That means no less than 16 hours of live fire handgun training, and including eight hours of scenario-based training using nonlethal training, firearms and ammunition with an instructor approved by the school district.
The school district’s seven trustees passed weapons policies emphasizing training and safety, anticipating the end to gun-free zones in Wyoming starting July 1. (Jenna McMurtry / KHOL)
The new rules were the expected result from recent meetings where a few parents voiced concern that the law made students less safe and encouraged the board to create sideboards.
Public comment was relatively quiet last week. Parents who have warned a lawsuit against the state is in the works were not present.
During the same meeting, the school board also begrudgingly voted to approve a search for funding for a new bathroom at Summit Innovations, Jackson’s alternative high school.
This falls in line with a state law mandating all bathrooms to be restricted by sex assigned at birth. Approved a new bathroom for Summit Innovations.
Board members wondered aloud if they needed to comply, stating their disapproval.
“I agree with Trustee [Jerry] Bosch that it’s dumbass, but I will change my vote and vote for it so we can move on,” said Reade Dornan, who had previously planned a “nay” vote.
Eventually, they voted to be compliant with the state, but not without marking their disapproval and stating the board should void the policy if the state no longer requires it.
“The Wyoming Legislature has required this policy to be in place,” the policy states off-the-bat. “The Teton County School District #1 Board of Trustees does not endorse the Wyoming Legislature’s policy, eroding local control that is a primary function of elected Board of Trustees.”
Regarding weapons, members passed four policies and all on split votes. It remains a policy that students cannot bring deadly weapons or objects used as weapons to school grounds or on the bus.
Dornan was the only across-the-board abstainer, citing her Quaker religion.
“I, too, have objections to the premise behind all of these pieces that support the concealed carry law,” Dornan said. “We don’t believe in fighting back, so the premise that firearms are going to be on school grounds in order to fight back is a problem for me.”
