While Oklahoma considers arming some teachers, concerns linger on liability and training
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — For two years, Chuck Smith has been training Oklahoma's teachers, free of charge, on how to handle a firearm.
He says the current CLEET training requirements for teachers to carry are not enough.
"It is a very minimal standard. It is firearm safety, it's firearms handling, and then a minimum qualification score which is done on a static range," said Smith, owner of Five-O Tactical.
In an active shooter situation, target shooting practice on a range, he says, won't do you much good.
"The skill of shooting is one thing, the tactics of employing that shooting in a high stakes life or death situation is something completely different, and that's where the training component comes in," he said.
Smith believes gun-carrying teachers need that tactical training if the district chooses to go down that path.
While HB 2336 does require schools to work with local law enforcement on training, it sets no minimum for what that training should be.
"It's almost like a surgeon going to medical school, and after they go to medical school, they start teaching someone how to do surgery with no minimum standards," said Sen. Kevin Matthews.
Sen. Matthews opposed the bill in the senate Wednesday, saying with no minimum standard, schools are taking on a lot of liability.
"If you can't afford a resource officer, you certainly can't afford a lawsuit for one child that is wounded or one child that may lose their life because of negligence," Matthews said.
Smith says the first test anyone would need to put themselves through before training is an honesty test.
If it came to it, would you honestly be able to take a life, possibly a child's life, in the heat of the moment, and do that correctly?