Guns do not belong in schools. This past weekend, for the second year in a row, delegates at the Illinois Association of School Boards Annual Conference narrowly defeated a resolution advocating legislation which provides local school boards the option to allow school district employees to carry concealed firearms. The District 181 Board had voted (4-3) to support the resolution.
I am extremely concerned by the D181 board decision. Placing guns in schools, even when the schools are in rural areas, which board members cited as justification for resolution support, opens up children to more danger, not less.
It is natural to want to take strong action to keep children safe in school.
We cannot react to the horrific incidences we have witnessed too many times by responding with more guns in schools.
District 181 board members have declared that they would not support allowing armed staff in our schools. My concern lies in legislation that would gain momentum with an IASB endorsement. There are no guarantees what choices individual school districts would have in future legislation. There are also no guarantees what future D181 boards would support.
Chances are good that the resolution will be before the IASB Annual Conference again next year. This is the time to start a serious conversation with representatives of Districts 181 and 86 parents, teachers and school administrators and local emergency responders to inform future decisions that can impact our community. — Penny Davey, Hinsdale, former D181 teacher
