What to Know
- School board members in Pennsylvania have voted to postpone a policy allowing teachers to carry guns in school.
- The Tamaqua school board's Security Committee says it will suspend the implementation of the policy pending a court hearing on its validity.
- Both teachers and parents have filed lawsuits against the policy claiming it violates state law and poses a danger to the community.
School board members in Pennsylvania have voted to postpone a policy allowing teachers to carry guns in school.
In a 2-1 vote Tuesday evening, the Tamaqua school board's Security Committee says it will suspend the implementation of the policy pending a court hearing on its validity.
Both teachers and parents have filed lawsuits against the policy claiming it violates state law and poses a danger to the community.
The Tamaqua teachers' union filed suit saying that the policy violates the Pennsylvania School Code, and that any guns should be carried by school police officers
A lawsuit by parents, meanwhile, says that Tamaqua Area School Board members "endangered their community" when they approved a policy to arm teachers and other school employees.
Holly Koscak is one of the plaintiffs. Her daughter goes to Tamaqua Area High School. She said that "a teacher's role is to teach," not to serve in the additional role of police officer.
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The district serves more than 2,100 students and is believed to be the first school system in the state to let teachers carry weapons.
The policy approved in September says teachers and other employees can volunteer to carry concealed, district-issued guns after training.
The full board will vote on the policy Jan. 15.
