Twin Falls charter school allows staffer to carry concealed firearm

A Twin Falls charter school will allow one of its employees to carry a concealed firearm on campus.

The Xavier Charter School’s trustees voted unanimously Thursday night to allow an unidentified employee to carry a weapon, Julie Wootton-Greener of the Twin Falls Times-News reported.

“The board considered the request of this specific employee and based on his unique training, certification, and experience granted the request as is allowed by Idaho Code and our district policy,” Xavier administrator Gary Moon wrote in an email to the Times-News. “The board took many items into consideration but first and foremost was student safety in a crisis situation.”

State law allows school employees to carry concealed weapons, with trustees’ approval. Xavier will join a handful of other districts and charters that have armed school employees; most schools opt for other safety measures, from lockdowns to staff training to secured entrances.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 35 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. He can be reached at [email protected]

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