NRA schools report suggests training staff in weapons

Jackie Kucinich | USATODAY

The school safety project funded and promoted by the National Rifle Association released a series of recommendations Tuesday to make schools safer, including a training program for teachers and other school staff who want to carry a firearm.

The release of the National School Shield report comes a week before the Senate is scheduled to take up a package of gun-related bills in response to the shootings in Newtown, Conn., where 20 schoolchildren and six adults were killed by a gunman.

While the NRA has dismissed criticism that its sole solution to the problem of school violence is more guns in schools, the National School Shield's recommendations included several training programs that would arm school staff.

One "model training program" would include a background check for school staffers who want to carry a firearm as well as 40-60 hours in training, former representative Asa Hutchinson, director of the project, said during a press conference at the National Press Club. While the NRA initially advocated for former police officers to volunteer to guard schools, Hutchinson said the NRA's research caused the group to back off that approach.

"In terms of volunteers, my impression of school superintendents is they would have great reluctance and so it's not the best solution," Hutchinson said. "That's why we have shifted to school staff, trained school staff, that's designated by the superintendent of the school board."

The report acknowledged many schools were unable to afford adding school resource officers (SROs) to their staff, which they suggest as an "important layer of security for prevention and response in case of an active threat on a school campus."

Legislation to enhance school safety is part of the larger gun-related bill expected to hit the Senate floor next week, but those funds could not be used for programs like the NRA has proposed. Instead, the bill, introduced by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., would provide $40 million in grants for infrastructure improvements such as cameras, fencing and bulletproof glass.

Democrats and teachers groups immediately rejected the findings, saying putting more guns in schools will only make the problem of violence in schools worse.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif.,chairman of the Democratic House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, said "arming school personnel and training them for shootouts will only exacerbate problems."

"While school safety must be part of any comprehensive gun violence prevention plan, it cannot be the only part," he said.

Rep.Jim Langevin, D-R.I., who was paralyzed after an accidental shooting, called the report "appalling."

The American Federation of Teachers called the report a "cruel hoax" that will "do nothing to stop another gunman with similar weapons and munitions from shattering the safe sanctuary of our schools."

Hutchinson refused to talk about background checks and other issues scheduled to be debated in the Senate, saying his task force was solely focused on "school safety and making our schools a safer environment."

The 225-page also suggested improved training programs for SROs; an online threat assessment tool for schools; and further funding and coordination on issues of school safety between the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Education.

"They need to have a lead agency and they need to have greater coordination," Hutchinson said. "The federal role is greater support for innovation, for technology and training grants."

The project recommended states and school districts absorb the costs for the other security improvements, Hutchinson said, but added that additional federal funds could come from Homeland Security grants. The NRA provided more than $1 million to fund the research effort that produced the report, he said.

While Hutchinson repeatedly insisted the project was conducted independently of the NRA and without the group's influence, the press conference was organized by the NRA's press office, and the website for the project remains nraschoolshield.com.

Nevertheless, the NRA released a statement following the press conference commending Hutchinson's effort but saying the group "needed time to digest the report" before commenting on details.