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A select number of teachers in Rice Consolidated ISD schools will now be allowed to arm themselves for the protection of students and staff according to a statement released by the office of superintendent Bill Heffner, IV. The RCISD Board of Trustees accepted a resolution to bring the Guardian Program to their schools in an effort to emphasize campus safety.
“Our foremost goal in implementing this program is to provide a safe and secure environment for our school community,” Superintendent Hefner said in the release on a social media post, “We will continue to work to improve safety on a daily basis. As we make changes, we appreciate your patience and support as always.”
Finding its roots in 2007 due to the longer response times of law enforcement in rural areas, the Guardian Program began as a direct response to the dangers presented by active shooters inside of schools. The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act and the Texas Penal Code allowed school districts to authorize certain teachers and staff to carry firearms for immediate response in case of an emergency according to the Texas Association of School Boards. Texas has also since passed legislation requiring armed security at every campus, whether as official law enforcement officers or selected employees. The “Guardians” with authorization to carry are often privately kept, only having their identity shared with the campus officers, marshals and local law enforcement.
