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24 UVALDE LEADER-NEWS FROM PAGE 1 SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 2013SAFETY: When it comes to teachers carrying guns, goal of protecting students is paramountFROM PAGE 1best left in the hands ofschool resource officerswho are trained in lawenforcement.“We need to protectand keep our studentssafe, but I’m notsure if this is somethingthat needs to bethe responsibility of ourteachers,” Harrell said.“Most school personnelknow very littleabout law enforcement.I would prefer havingofficers from our PoliceDepartment who knowour community and aretrained to protect,” hesaid.Currently UCISD hasonly one school resourceofficer, Ruben Ruiz, whois employed by the UvaldePolice Department andstationed at the UvaldeHigh School.Officer Ruiz and UvaldePolice Chief Robert MacDonald both agreed withHarrell.“Putting guns in thehands of inexperiencedFew things withstand the testof time like a solid relationship.Throughout life’s many stages,we’ll be there.persons is a mistake,”Mac Donald said.Ruiz concurred.“If a teacher was carelesswith a firearm, anda gun got into the handsof a student it can turninto a bad situation,” Ruizsaid.Mac Donald said schoolresource officers undergoextensive training includingsix months of academytraining, threemonths of field training,several years of experienceon the streets, 40hours of student resourcetraining, active shootertraining, crisis interventiontraining, intensivetraining in new laws andfirearms qualificationstraining every two years.“More importantly... ifput to the test, a trainedpolice officer would makethe decision to use a firearmin accordance withthe law, not by emotionsor adrenaline in a deadlyforce situation,” MacDonald said.“I believe UCISD islarge enough to startWestex Investment ServicesA Division of The Bank and Trust426 E. Nopal • Uvalde, Texas 78801830-278-4555michael.voiles@raymondjames.comWestex Investment Services and The Bank and Trust are Independent of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.their own police department.However, the costwould be prohibitive in adistrict where money istight,” he said.Juan Gatica, ExcelAcademy principal, hasa different opinion. Hesupports state-fundedfirearms training forteachers.“Schools across thecountry must be proactivein their actionsto deter school violence.UCISD is no different inplacing students’ safety atthe forefront of its educationalsystem,” Gaticasaid.Van Henley, UvaldeHigh School NJROTCsenior naval scienceinstructor, said he alsofully supports firearmtraining for teachers andadministrators.“If teachers who have alicense to carry firearmsare willing to undergoadditional training I thinkit would add an extraFROM PAGE 1and again at 11 a.m. forrabbits.Judging of breedingsheep takes place at 11a.m. and Angora goats willbe judged at 1 p.m.At 3 p.m. market swinewill be weighed and classified.Judging of meat goatdoes takes place at 4 p.m.and will be followed byjudging of meat goat wethers.Rabbits will also bejudged at 4 p.m.On Friday things will getstarted at 8 a.m. with judgingof market swine andthe arrival, weighing, siftingand classification ofmarket lambs.Check-in, weighing andclassification of marketsteers will be held from 9to 10 a.m.Market lambs will bejudged at 1 p.m. and steerswill be judged at 4 p.m.Arrival of horses is setfor 5 p.m. and judging ofthe horses will be at 6 p.m.The third and final dayof the event will begin Saturdayat 7:30 a.m. with thelivestock judging contest.level of safety in ourschools. I believe the ideashould be fully exploredby the district,” Henleysaid.NJROTC instructorMaster Chief Calvin Lambertagreed with Henley.“I believe that while thenames and number ofteachers carrying gunsshould not be publiclydisclosed, the idea thatteachers are carryingfirearms could preventperpetrators from enteringthe school or at leastmake them think twice,”Lambert said.However, Dalton EarlyChildhood Center principalJanice Estrada doesnot believe that armingteachers and administratorsis the answer.“If administrators andteachers are going to becarrying weapons, who isto say that they will notbe the cause of the shooting?”Estrada said teachersand administratorsare human and are notexempt from personalproblems and other lifeissues.“What happens if astudent finds the weaponthat is carried by theteacher and shoots someone?A trained person, apolice officer for example,is trained extensivelyin this type of situationand can respond moreobjectively if a situationarises,” Estrada said.Uvalde Junior Highinterim principal LeoVillarreal said he too isuncomfortable with theidea of anyone carrying afirearm on school campusunless they are associatedwith a law enforcementagency.“I do not feel that gunshave a place on our campusesunless they arebeing carried by a trainedlaw enforcement officer.I believe that our focusand funds would be betterSeveral scholarshipswill also be awarded onSaturday, including theDan Davis Memorial 4-HScholarship, Dink TurnerMemorial Scholarship,Kelsi Robinson Memorial4-H Scholarship, Richardand Lorena Stitts Scholarshipand Uvalde CountyJunior Livestock ShowBooster Club scholarship.The buyers barbecueis set for 11:30 a.m. andawards will be presentedat noon.To close the 2013 event,a premium auction toreward exhibitors for theirspent in helping providetrained law enforcementofficers for our schools,”Benson Elementary principalBecky Reinhardtsaid, noting that she wasexpressing her individualopinion.“We need to have adistrict police departmentor a department ofschool resource officersin conjunction with ourcity police department orCounty Sheriff’s office. Ifeel that the presence ofa licensed law enforcementofficer would detersomeone more so thanthe knowledge that theadministration might becaring a gun,” she said.While the opinions ofthese individuals vary itis clear they each feel thatensuring the safety ofUCISD students should bethe district’s number-onepriority.KRUBIO@UVALDELEADERNEWS.COM,278-3335BEGINS: Livestock show starts Thursday; sale set Saturdaywork is scheduled at 1 p.m.A total of 194 exhibitorshave signed up to present680 entries.Categories includemarket lambs with 58entries; breeding sheep,98; registered angoras,52; purebred angoras, 21;pen of three angoras, 5;steers, 18; market swine,125; horses, 33; market rabbits,53; breeding rabbits,39; pen of three rabbits, 30;meat goats, 100; and farmprojects, nine.A total of 22 exhibitorshave 39 entries in thehorse show.