Educators begin active shooter training as lawmaker heads to Georgia to learn from their tragedy
Sep 6, 2024, 9:38 PM | Updated: 10:00 pm
PROVO — Utah educators returning to school didn’t need active shooter training, but they signed up for it with the Utah County Sheriff’s Department this year.
The session is full and has a waiting list.
“We have teachers who want to make a difference,” said Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith. “They’re seeing what’s happening across the nation, and that’s why they’re bringing a gun to school.”
Smith has proactively offered this class, but the need became even more urgent with this week’s fatal school shooting in Georgia.
“You have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario,” said educator Luke Adams.
Smith showing a presentation to the educators. (KSL TV)
Some teachers are here to get their concealed carry permits, while others are training to potentially be school guardians. A new law will soon require an armed guardian in every Utah school daily.
By law, KSL TV can’t identify those guardians.
All these educators want skills to deal with their new reality.
“You really don’t know what to do it you don’t have the tools in your tool bag. And we don’t have them yet,” said educator Aubrey Frandsen.
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“We’re going to give them this toolbox of skills that they can use, not just in an active shooter situation, but life in general,” Smith said.
On the heels of the fatal shooting, the Utah lawmaker who sponsored the school safety law that requires armed guardians and many other things is heading to Georgia.
“It’s a very clear reminder,” said Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden.
Wilcox wants to know what worked and what didn’t at Apalachee High. He said Utah is moving quickly, even though we haven’t had a tragedy. Last year, Utah schools had 74 lockdowns but no school shootings.
“At some point, we’re not going to get lucky, we know that, so we’re preparing,” he said.
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Wilcox also has a message for school districts criticizing the cost of hiring full-time armed guardians.
“I don’t buy that it’s an unfunded mandate. That’s everyone’s favorite thing to say when there’s a new law that you have to comply with,” he said.
He urged schools to complete their required school safety plans so the state can determine what they need and help them pay for it. He points to $100,000,000 included in the law that is available to schools to help them meet the requirements.
“The sooner they get in their assessments, the sooner we can help with funding,” he said.
The plans are due by the end of the year, but Wilcox hopes schools will submit them before that deadline.
