GRAND SALINE, Texas — When it comes to the debate of arming teachers in school with firearms another East Texas district has agreed.
Grand Saline ISD is the latest school district to arm specific staff members with concealed weapons.
Many residents in town believe it's a good idea.
"I think that handguns in schools are something that’s necessary these days," Branda Hellums, Grand Saline resident said. "People go crazy. They bring guns in school and start killing people. I mean there’s been too much of it going on."
"I think they should be able to," resident Floy Davidson said. "To protect the school and the students."
The superintendent of GSISD acknowledges the communities support and says a lot of factors were considered before enacting the plan.
"I figured that in the community of Grand Saline we would have support," Micah Lewis, GSISD superintendent said. "There's going to be a few people that question, why would you want to do that? We just weighed out, do we think that our kids are more safe or less safe if we do this, and we feel like our kids would be more safe if we enacted the Guardian Plan."
When it comes to who gets to carry a firearm Superintendent Lewis said only licensed staff will be selected.
They must keep the weapon concealed and on them at all times to avoid students from having access to it.
"It could be anyone, it could be any employee of the district," Lewis said. "And we don't divulge who that is, of course, we don't divulge where they are. We don't divulge how many are on each campus or in each building. But, it could be any employee in the district.”
The 'Guardian Plan' will also help the one officer who patrols all the buildings on campus.
"I think that teachers need to keep it up," Hellums said. "Keep their training up, so that they can operate that gun properly."