A Christian school is pledging to arm and train staff members to respond to and deal with active school shooters, a move aimed at decreasing the likelihood of tragic events that are becoming more common in schools.
Superintendent Dr. Lindsay Laurich of Siouxland Christian School in Sioux City, Iowa, said certain staff members will receive paid firearms and range training to deal with an active shooter on campus.
Dr. Laurich said the plan had been in the works for some time before they decided to proceed.
“If a tragic event were to occur at SCS, I need to be able to stand in front of you and say that we have done all that we can do, Dr. Laurich stated in a letter to parents sent last week.
“This is a necessary step we must take,” he said.
“The School Board and Administration have developed the process for selecting and training staff with input from law enforcement, our insurance carrier, legal advisors, and industry experts. This has been a serious and diligent process over the course of the past year.”
“In the event of an active shooter event, these armed SCS staff are trained to go directly to the threat,” he added.
“Their response will allow teachers and students to get to safe positions and will provide an active response until law enforcement is able to arrive.”
The policy change came days after a deadly school shooting in the central Iowa town of Perry, which tragically claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy.
“School buildings should be safe. Teachers and children should not be afraid to come to school. We must employ all of the tools and resources at our disposal to be prepared for worst case scenarios,” Dr. Laurich added.
Last year, a transgender former student at a Nashville-based Christian school shot dead three students and three teachers in what police believed to be an anti-Christian motivated attack.
Below is the full letter sent out by Laurich:
Dear SCS Families,
It is an unfortunate reality that schools have become the target of those who wish to do evil. Around our nation and sadly more close to home we see threats emerging on a regular basis. We pray for the community of Perry, Iowa, which experienced an active shooter event yesterday.
Because school safety is our highest priority at Siouxland Christian School we have determined that it is essential that we take further steps to secure our building and to ensure that your child(ren) are protected at school.
Starting next week, certain members of SCS staff who have been specifically trained will be armed on campus. The School Board and Administration have developed the process for selecting and training staff with input from law enforcement, our insurance carrier, legal advisors and industry experts. This has been a serious and diligent process over the course of the past year.
In the event of an active shooter event these armed SCS staff are trained to go directly to the threat. Their response will allow teachers and students to get to safe positions and will provide an active response until law enforcement is able to arrive.
The staff who have been selected and trained will remain anonymous, and with God’s help this layer of protection will never need to be deployed. We expect no changes to the day to day experiences of students and staff.
On a personal note, I want you to know that this decision was a difficult one. When I entered the teaching profession it was unimaginable that someone would shoot students and teachers in a school. But the landscape has changed. If a tragic event were to occur at SCS, I need to be able to stand in front of you and say that we have done all that we can do. This is a necessary step we must take.
School buildings should be safe. Teachers and children should not be afraid to come to school. We must employ all of the tools and resources at our disposal in order to be prepared for worst case scenarios.
We thank you for trusting us with your most precious gifts: your children. With God’s help may we do all that we can to uphold this trust and ensure a bright future for the next generation.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lindsay Laurich
Superintendent
