Tamaqua School Board suspends gun policy

Tamaqua Area School Board voted to suspend the controversial policy which would allow armed teachers to carry guns and use deadly force in case of an active shooter.

The board voted 8-1 with Nick Boyle, the creator of the policy voting against. Boyle cited the recent Stoneman Douglas report but also maintained that opponents to the policy are being orchestrated by outside groups.

Policy 705, adopted in September, allowed teachers to volunteer to be trained to carry weapons in school during class time. Teachers would be trained under the state’s Lethal Weapons Training Program and be authorized to use force up to and including deadly force in situations where necessary, like an active shooter.

Two lawsuits are pending against the district in Schuylkill County Court over the policy. The district teachers’ union says in a suit that state law already has a framework for putting armed security in schools, and further states that the lethal weapons training program can’t be used for government employees. A separate suit from parents says the board intentionally passed the policy in secret.

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