Lawmakers and the governor have doubled down on arming teachers, but so far not even 25% of school districts in Texas have been willing to adopt the plan. Education reporter Wayne Carter visited a school district that armed staff members and looks at how the process evolved from hesitance to putting “firearms in the classroom.”
If you look up what Texas is known for, it's no surprise guns are right up there with cowboys and country music.
But, how about us as a state, teaching school teachers and staff to carry a weapon on campus and protect our children?
"We have two grade levels in the cafeteria at a time, I want to make sure those babies are protected," said Martha Shirley, a cafeteria worker.
But what does that really look like?
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
The gunman in Uvalde was so heavily armed it caused those we rely on to protect us, to be unwilling to move in, worried for their safety.
Could what trained officers were unable to do a year ago, truly be pulled off by one armed person whose primary role is something a lot different?
"We've seen neighboring school districts put out the sign in front of schools saying some of our staff are armed, we use force to protect our students. That kept me up at night," said John Kuhns, superintendent of the Mineral Wells ISD.
"If heaven forbid, lightening strikes in my town and we have an active shooter on campus and we didn't have that sign out front that says we're armed and protect students, how many people are going to attribute the horrific act to not having that program," said Kuhns.
In a survey, 90% of the community wanted armed staff.
Carter In The Classroom
Focusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed.
So, Mineral Wells ISD came up with a plan so secret, they won't even say how many people were interested in signing up.
Jeff Sellers runs "Schools on Target," which created a state-approved training program for arming teachers. Selllers did it after his own son was put at serious risk.
"Our son was on a high school field trip to Fort Hood. They were seconds away from going into the cafeteria when the shooting happened," he said.
Now, he trains educators to protect kids.
Rule number one: You have to have prior experience with guns and the right mindset.
"There are several who say, 'yeah, this isn't for me, I can't do that.' Elementary school principals are one of the main ones that say, 'yeah I probably couldn't do this.' Their hearts are different," said Sellers.
We spoke to one of the staff members trained to be armed and protect students in Mineral Wells.
"We're not just sticking guns in everybody's hands," he said. "I grew up with firearms in my life, I've hunted and fished and all of the above my entire life."
Only a select few know who any of the armed staff are. So, no one in this tiny community could seek him out in a shooting.
"They're out of sight. They can't be seen. They're not walking around waving a gun everywhere, but their training allows them to be ready," he said of himself and his armed peers.
His added duties gave confidence to the community.
"It does make us feel a little more secure because if someone does come in there's teachers or someone in there, who can step in, and hopefully stop this person," said Doris Rucker, the grandparent of a Mineral Wells ISD kindergartener.
The superintendent buys in, too.
"I'm very satisfied with it, I do think it makes us safer and stronger because it reduces the response time," said Kuhns.
He may sleep easier, but the superintendent says school districts were forced to make calls lawmakers refused to handle.
"I need folks to worry about governing rather than politicking. I need adults to be adults," said Kuhns. "I see a game being played that has turned into world wrestling federation, it's just turned into entertainment instead of having a bunch of adults get in a room and solve a problem. It's very frustrating for those of us on the front lines of society making decisions about how to educate kids."
Since Texas approved arming teachers and school staff in 2013, 316 school districts out of nearly 1,200 have armed school staff.
National Education Association President Becky Pringle cites arming teachers as a factor in the nationwide teacher shortage.
"When we add safety to the many things they are being asked to do for our students, it's an additional load and it absolutely impacts whether our teachers are willing to stay in the profession," said Pringle.
Sudden, quick responses as we saw from the officer at the mall in Allen or the church in White Settlement seem effective.
It's still a ton of pressure for the lone school employee.
"A lot of folks that go into education are really nice people. They're not necessarily the most aggressive people a lot of times," said Kuhns.
But still, they're trusted to pull it off.
"At the end of the day I sleep better knowing I do have the training, the confidence, and I'm willing to protect not just my children but all the children in the building," said the trained school staffer.
Research at universities across the country has studied the impact a lone armed guardian would have on stopping someone with a high-powered weapon and found it to be largely ineffective -- something that may make us feel better, but leads to little change.
