Alaska News

Proposed Alaska law would allow teachers to pack secret heat

Alaska teachers packing heat? That would be possible under a proposal Friday from Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, whose bill would allow schools to write policies under which teachers and other permanent school employees could carry concealed weapons on school grounds "for defensive use."

House Bill 55, if passed, stipulates that each Alaska school district would be allowed to authorize permanent district staff carry concealed weapons. Lynn said he felt such a policy was best left to local districts to decide.

"I don't think we at the state level ought to mandate 'yes' or 'no' on the issue," Lynn told the Associated Press.

Armed school staff would need concealed-carry weapon permitting under regulation from the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

In the last month, two Anchorage high school students have been suspended in separate situations for threatening gun violence. School violence has been an even more serious issue since 20 children were gunned down by a deranged man at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., the home of Alaska Lieutenant Gov. Mead Treadwell.

Anchorage School District officials have been working with police to re-evaluate and assess student safety plans. Six states allow people licensed to carry concealed weapons into public schools under certain circumstances, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

House Bill 55 -- read the full proposed bill here -- was among 18 pre-filed bills released on Friday. The Alaska Legislature will convene on Tuesday.

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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