Guns In Schools: Armed Teachers Debate Prompts Recall Election In Idaho

An Idaho school board member is facing removal due to his support of armed teachers in his school district.Steve Youngdahl is the Lake Pend Oreille School Board District Board head accused of basing his guns in schools argument on “biased and untrustworthy sources.” Bonner Country Clerk Ann Dutson-Sater reports that enough valid signatures have been garnered to push the Idaho recall election forward. Duston-Sater also noted that under state statute, a recall election target has five days to resign after being notified of the filing. Steve Youngdahl told local media that he already received the recall letter and has absolutely no intention of resigning.

A Lake Pend Oreille School District community debate began after Youngdahl first proposed arming teachers, administrators, and other school staff. The school board head’s plan involved the utilization of a fingerprint locking system which would only allow those staffers authorized to handle the weapons to actually fire the guns.

Youngdahl had this to say after a public comment meeting for the armed teachers proposal:

“We’ve had quite a bit of reaction. Obviously it’s an emotional discussion and we’ve had a lot on both sides.?”

Fve of the Idaho school district’s 11 facilities are located in rural areas where response time by law enforcement officers can reportedly take up to 20 minutes.The Idaho school board member’s proposal to arm teachers and other staff inside the Lake Pend Oreille School District was tabled in late October. Superintendent Shawn Wood ward told the media that the initiative is no longer being considered. Among the reasons cited for thwarting the proposal was that only eight percent of teachers and 14 percent of classified staff supported the plan. Exactly why the Idaho school employees did not want opportunity for enhanced self-defense remains unclear.

Superintendent Woodward had this to say about the guns in schools proposal which prompted the recall petition:

“We are not finished with the broader issue of school safety. No one solution has yet been selected for recommendation to the board.”

One of the school safety possibilities reportedly favored by the Lake Pend Oreille School Board involved retired police officers volunteering to patrol the schools. The feasibility or likely participation in such a program also remains unknown.

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