OC School District Rejects Councilman's Request For Teachers To Carry Guns

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO (CBSLA.com) — An Orange County school district has rejected a plan made by a local city councilman asking for teachers to carry guns in classrooms in the wake of Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.

"During regular school hours at a school in San Juan Capistrano, an individual armed with a simplistic firearm can easily walk onto campus without challenge, walk into an unlocked classroom and begin murdering dozens of children," San Juan Capistrano City Councilman Derek Reeve wrote to the Capistrano School District in a December 20th letter first printed by The Capistrano Patch.

In the letter, the attorney father of two proposed that willing staff, teachers and parents could be armed while on campus. He added that no teacher or staff member should be required to carry a weapon.

"Efforts must be taken to empower teachers, staff and parents to protect our children," Reeve said in the letter. "Our society has been provided a false sense of security with schools partially surrounded by chain-link fences with unlocked gates and a 1,000-foot gun-free zone. It has continuously been demonstrated that neither deter the evil intent of murdering dozens of children. It is time as adults entrusted with the lives of children, we overcome our denial."

Reeve said guns could be safely stored in classrooms without extra costs imposed on the district.

The councilman also offered armed security guards as an option.

"While armed security is more costly, unarmed security is no security at all," he wrote.

The councilman further requested that schools receive additional training for lockdowns and that all schools should allow only a single access entry point for guests.

The Capistrano School District has rejected Reeve's weapon proposal, The Capistrano Patch reported on Tuesday.

"While we appreciate the councilman's interest in this topic, we will not entertain any proposal to have staff persons carry firearms," District spokesman Marcus Walton told The Patch.

The Capistrano School District is made up of 55 campuses with more than 51,000 students.

Click here (PDF) to read the full text of Reeve's letter.