by The constant refrain that we’ve heard every minute of every day since Newtown from the gun prohibitionists, the politicians, and the mainstream media is that we must do something, we must “demand a plan”, we must pass a law. Josh Felker of LoneStar Handgun in Schertz, Texas decided to do something but it isn’t what the gun prohibitionists and their political and media allies are advocating.
Mr. Felker offered 400 slots in his Texas CHL classes free to teachers in Texas. The teachers in Texas took him up on the offer and all were booked within 24 hours.
From the San Antonio Express-News:
Middle school teacher Kim Williams traveled from Houston to cash in on Saturday’s free concealed handgun licensing course offered to educators after the mass shootings at a Connecticut elementary.“I feel the need to be proactive,” Williams, 38, said during a break in the 10-hour class at LoneStar Handgun.
“I’m entrusted to the care and safety of over 100 students. I want to be prepared, if and when things go that way,” said the long-time employee of the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District.
Felker is trying to build momentum to get Texas laws and policies changed to allow teachers who are Texas CHL holders to be allowed to carry on campus. Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) is one of those who supports this move.
According to Felker’s site, Dury’s Gun Shop in San Antonio will pay for a CHL class for any Texas teacher who purchases a handgun from them. While I don’t know for sure, I imagine other Texas instructors and gun shops are making similar offers to Texas teachers. I certainly hope so.
Josh Felker and these teachers are making a positive contribution to keeping kids safer in Texas classrooms. Experience has shown that active shooters tend to be cowards and kill themselves when confronted by an armed person as was the case in the Portland, OR mall shooting.
Good for them! And concur with the bottom line too!
Battle Road USA (a new startup firearms training company in Davilla TX) is also offering free firearms training to teachers in Texas.
@Anon: Thanks for the info on Battle Road USA.
Utah's concealed carry law specified that it applied throughout the state and all of its subdivisions. So, from the beginning, Utah law has permitted concealed carry in schools. In 2008, our legislature clarified that this really, truly meant what it said, and prohibited school administrators from thwarting the intent of the law.
Our recent public school concealed carry training got a lot of press. But at least one other instructor had previously certified hundreds of public school employees. This has been going on for a long time. It's not news. Or at least not new news.
No government agency is sponsoring a program, no public funds are being spent, and nobody is required to participate. It's just regular folks seeing a need and taking individual responsibility.