by the Alaska Senate Minority
Concealed Carry Job Duty Assigned to at Least One Individual if Qualified, Trained per School.
Today (Jan. 12th, 2024) Senator Shelley Hughes pre-filed SB173 “The Safe Schools Act” to help deter active shooting tragedies taking place in any of Alaska’s K-12 schools.
A retired teacher in her district who worked at Bethel High School when the shooting occurred there in 1997 approached the senator about the issue. He pointed out that Utah’s concealed carry in schools has been a successful deterrent to gun incidents on school campuses there.
Although the rampage of an active shooter on school grounds is not common, Senator Hughes points out it has become less rare as time passes. She states, “If we do nothing, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. This is a critical conversation, and it is time for critical decision-making. If we want to prevent the deaths of school children in Alaska, we need to act. If we wait to address this matter until after precious children have died, what a dreadful shame and inexcusable mistake that will be.”
Just last year, 346 shooting incidents occurred in schools in the US resulting in 248 victims either wounded or killed. In the past five years, 1073 students and staff were wounded or killed nationwide.
Hughes continued, “Like you, over the years I’ve watched with horror the news reports of shootings at schools: Columbine, Parkland, Uvalde. I’ve wondered too like you, what if there had been intervention to help that person? But I’ve also asked, what if the school had been better prepared? What if that school campus had permitted concealed carry? Maybe the incident would not have occurred at all.”
Hughes emphasized that every second, every minute counts when a person begins to shoot in a school building. “Due to distance, when law enforcement response in Alaska can take from a few minutes to a few hours, or with inclement weather in remote communities, even longer, our children, our teachers and staff are sitting ducks. Our officers do their best to respond quickly but Alaska is a state of mammoth proportions. We need well-trained individuals on-site who can respond immediately.”
While Alaska law does not prevent superintendents and school boards from setting policy to allow concealed carry, none have done so. Senator Hughes believes SB173 will help communities, school boards, and district administrators find an acceptable path forward that will lead to safer school campuses.
By outlining the qualifications, training, and stringent standards to help ensure responsible actions in emergency situations, increasing engagement between districts and law enforcement, and assigning the concealed carry duty to trusted, stable, respected, and well-trained individuals, the legislation will give parents, community members and leaders the confidence to know that children and staff will be safer in our schools than they would be without the policy.
The Safe Schools Act is a proactive approach to protecting our students and faculty members. Hughes concluded, “Our students deserve every opportunity to participate in our education system without fear of losing their lives. The Safe Schools Act is a necessary step toward protecting this and future generations from reckless harm so our young Alaskans can focus on learning and make a positive difference in our communities.”
