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Hendry County Schools discuss plan to train and arm school volunteers

Posted at 10:49 PM, Mar 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-27 22:49:55-04

HENDRY COUNTY, Fla. - School leaders met with the Sheriff, parents, and teachers inside LaBelle High School's auditorium to discuss the guardian program.

The program would train and arm school volunteers. The volunteers would go through hours of training. Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden said it doesn't necessarily mean teachers would be strapped with a gun.

"We will train school staff members. We will put them through adequate training to carry concealed weapons in our schools in order to assist protecting our children against active shooters," Sheriff Whidden said.

Every school in Hendry county has a school resource officer. Sheriff Whidden thinks more security is required.

"The longer we wait, there's a chance of something happening in our schools. I don't want to be the sheriff on national TV talking about what a sad day it is," Whidden said.

Hendry County School Board Superintendent Paul Puletti said that the district will take time to make sure the plan is feasible.

"I want it to be methodical. I want it to be prudent. I don't want a decision that's based on emotion or spur of the moment type of thing," Puletti said.

The school board did not vote to pass the program during Tuesday night's meeting.

The board set April 24th as the next possible date to discuss the program further.