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PHOENIX -- One Tempe school district is balking at Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne's idea that at least one school employee should carry a gun to protect against a shooting on campus.

Kyrene schools assistant superintendent Gina Taylor said the district isn't thrilled with a principal, teacher or any other school worker carrying a gun.

"We aren't extremely comfortable with the notion of other staff being armed because of the training that's required in order to do that effectively," she said, adding that having an armed school resource officer (SRO) who has extensive gun training is a better idea.

SROs are nothing new in the Kyrene School District.

"We've had and have three school resources now, and have had them on our campuses for years," said Taylor, who is the district's crisis team leader.

Taylor said the district has started a new security policy at schools since the Connecticut school shootings.

"We, in the past, have always had visitors sign in to be on our campuses and we've given them visitor's badges," she said. "What we're now requiring is that they present a photo ID and exchange that for their visitor's badge, which requires them to come back through the office [to get their ID] as they leave the campus."

Taylor said that, while the new system won't prevent something like a mass shooting, it will help the schools keep better track of who is on school property and why they are there.

Kyrene District spokeswoman Nancy Dudenhoefer believes guns aren't the only thing that people should be talking about when it comes to school security.

"It very much concerns me that everyone is talking about guns, and no one is talking about mental illness," she said. "I do believe that we, as schools, have provided, obviously, some sort of support in that area because the children who are doing these crimes are the ones who are out of the school system. I want to know why no one is touching that story?"

Bob McClay, Reporter

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  • Abuse
    sweetmama wrote...
    No sense listening to trolls or people who don't
    January 9, 2013 9:05 am
    know anything about real security with proven methods, which do include concealed carry weapons in the hands of the ready, willing and able. No one is suggesting arming every teacher or staff member; that's not necessary. Opinions are like a certain bit of anatomy, everyone's got one. These things almost always happen in gun free zones, despite the steep decline of the violent crime rate in recent years, so that needs to go. Mental illness needs to be addressed. The rights of citizens need to be expanded.
  • Abuse
    OneWonders wrote...
    I really hate to say it
    January 9, 2013 9:37 am
    Actually I don't hate to say it but Micho's comment about state instead of fed is right. When has the fed ever done a thing to keep us more safe? Homeland Security has done nothing to stop terrorist on airplanes or crossing our borders. Clinton's ban did nothing to stop Columbine. The Fed did nothing to protect our ambassador in Bengazi. The Fed let guns walk to Mexico. With a track record like that, do you really want the Fed's protecting our children?
    Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.
  • Abuse
    OneWonders wrote...
    Lets hit up our state patrol,
    January 9, 2013 9:38 am
    local sheriff, and city police to protect the schools, if arming well trained teachers makes sense, if locking down schools with ballistic doors makes sense, if gun free zones makes sense, if getting parents back to a bigger roll in children's lives make sense, if less violent video games makes sense, if better mental health facilities makes sense, let the state do it! I agree with you Micho to a smaller federal government with less control, less socialist principals playing a roll and more rights to the state, lets push the state to make the right choice and not Obama!
    Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.
  • Abuse
    HWAGRIDER wrote...
    Onewonders the state is
    January 9, 2013 10:53 am
    doing something, by allowing teachers to get the training and carry IF THEY WANT TO. They are not being forced to. Also by allowing the teachers to carry then the gun free zone is no more. There are countless articles out there showing where when the shooter or criminal is faced with someone armed they run or lose their lives.
  • Abuse
    OneWonders wrote...
    @HWAGRIDER
    January 9, 2013 11:22 am
    My point was that the Fed's shouldn't be doing it because they have shown to be useless and their previous gun ban did nothing. And don't worry, I'm pro-2nd Amendment.
    Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.
  • Abuse
    Steve wrote...
    States Rights are good with me
    January 9, 2013 6:54 pm
    But the Feds would have to release money taxed to them so the States could afford to do it. The Feds hold States hostage with $$$.
  • Abuse
    OneWonders wrote...
    Very
    January 10, 2013 7:55 am
    True Steve. But they won't ever do that, it's all about power and control for them.
    Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.

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