The Campbell County School District Board of Trustees is continuing the discussion on whether to allow teachers to carry firearms after reviewing the results of a community-wide survey.
The Campbell County School District posted a survey in June to better understand how residents feel about arming teachers. More than 1,000 people responded to the survey, and about 75 percent said they are in support of a policy that would allow teachers to carry concealed firearms. Eighteen percent said they are against it, and nearly six percent said they need more information to make a decision.
At the school board meeting on Wednesday, several community members spoke in favor of and against the policy, reinforcing the challenges ahead for the board.
Board of Trustees Chair Anne Ochs said the district is taking this conversation seriously and that the board has not made up its mind about whether to pursue a policy.
"We are trying very hard not to help this become a winners and a losers type of situation in the community. We don't want to pit sides," Ochs said.
Ochs said the board's next step will be looking into if they can get more school resource officers in in-town schools, something they had done previously for Campbell County's rural schools.
"Maybe that should be the next step in this process then from that point we can see where we are and where'd we like to go," she said.
The board also suggested that the district put together a list of frequently asked questions and answers for community members and parents while the board continues to consider whether to pursue a policy.
District officials stated neither the district nor the board may be able to answer specific questions since no policy has been developed, but that they can reiterate the minimum requirements for district policy set forth by Wyoming statutes.
Earlier this summer, the district also surveyed its staff about the potential policy. Of those who responded, more than 50 percent said they would be in favor of arming teachers.