Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Contact 90.5 WESA with a story idea or news tip: news@wesa.fm

School Board Members Vote To Postpone Policy To Arm Teachers

Matt Smith
/
Keystone Crossroads
Tamaqua School board member Nicholas Boyle, left, and School Board President Larry Wittig, center, joined by Joe Egan, a representative of The Buckeye Firearm Foundation at a November meeting.

School board members in Pennsylvania have voted to postpone a policy allowing teachers to carry guns in school.

In a 2-1 vote Tuesday evening, the Tamaqua school board's Security Committee says it will suspend the implementation of the policy pending a court hearing on its validity.

Both teachers and parents have filed lawsuits against the policy claiming it violates state law and poses a danger to the community.

The district serves more than 2,100 students and is believed to be the first school system in the state to let teachers carry weapons.

The policy approved in September says teachers and other employees can volunteer to carry concealed, district-issued guns after training.

The full board will vote on the policy Jan. 15.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.