Teachers provided with gun training at West Valley class


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WEST VALLEY CITY — Since the Connecticut school shootings, educators across the nation have been asking themselves what they would do in a similar situation. In Utah, gun advocates provided a class on Thursday to try and help teachers answer that question.

The preparation class was held at the Maverik Center in West Valley Center and was available for anyone who works in a school. The training was to help these teachers and educators to prepare themselves for a crisis shooter situation.

Guns have become a hot topic as a result of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. The main element of the class was to give teachers another option besides hiding.

Stephen Pratt has never had a gun permit. But lately, he's wanted one.

"With the recent tragedy in Connecticut, I realized it's probably a good time for me to act on it," Pratt said.

Pratt is a third-grade teacher at Westfield Elementary School in Alpine. His students are about the same age as those who died in Connecticut.

"I just worried a little bit, you know?" he said. "What would I do as a teacher? How would I protect?"

He isn't the only one asking himself those questions. Hundreds of teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers and janitors attended the training at the Maverik Center in West Valley. The Mass Violence Response Training class was designed to teach them how to fight back.

"I think it's important to have protection," said teacher's assistant, Donalyn Shock. "Because if you don't have it, I feel like we're sitting ducks."

The class wasn't just about guns and protecting yourself with a gun, but guns were a big part of it.

"People are tired of being victims," said Utah Shooting Sports Councilman, Clark Aposhian.

Aposhian is a well-known shooting instructor in Utah. He helped teach the class by providing the basics for teachers on what to do with guns and how to do it.


We're not going to get the guns out of the criminals hands, so lets put some guns in the good guys hands.

–Clark Aposhian, Utah Shooting Sports Council


"We're not going to get the guns out of the criminals hands, so lets put some guns in the good guys hands," Aposhian said.

He also says that the Connecticut shootings have changed a lot of perceptions.

"It's kind of been that agreement, you know?" he said. "Criminals are supposed to have hands off the schools. Everywhere else, it's been a free-for-all. But my gosh, you mess with the schools and our kids, that's a whole other thing."

David Burnell, the CEO of OPSGEAR, a tactical company that trains police officers, says guns may not be for everyone and he doesn't expect every teacher to get a permit. He says it's all about responsibility.

"We're gonna tell these people and help them understand where their moral code and where their value system really is," Burnell said. "And until they discover that, they're not prepared to carry a firearm."

Of course, some of the teachers have already made their decision.

"I would like to be able to protect my children in case something like that happens," Pratt said.

The Utah State Board of Education released a statement about arming teachers:

"We urge caution and thoughtful consideration. Schools in Utah have developed emergency plans to handle such situations. The Board encourages all Utah schools to review their emergency plans, working with local law enforcement agencies, with the safety of students in all situations the primary concern."

Contributing: Devon Dolan

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