CeaseFirePA says it is “appalled” by Tuesday’s revelation that the Tamaqua Area School District has reinstated its policy to arm teachers and other school personnel.

The school board originally adopted the policy to ask for volunteers to be trained to carry guns in the schools in THE fall. Teachers and parents protested and suits were filed by both the teachers union and four families, with the cooperation of CeaseFirePA.

In January the board voted to suspend the policy pending the outcome of the lawsuits, but on Tuesday, board President Larry Wittig said they will continue moving forward with the plan.

Wittig said Tuesday the appeals could last for years, and the district is ready to move forward.

The lawsuits are still pending in Schuylkill County court.

“CeaseFirePA is appalled by last night’s revelation that the Tamaqua Area School District has reinstated its policy to arm teachers and other school personnel,” the organization said in a statement Wednesday.

CeaseFirePA said, “The parties are currently briefing legal issues raised in the amended complaint and preliminary objections. The parties to the second lawsuit have agreed on an extension of time for plaintiffs to file an amended complaint. That complaint will be filed in the coming weeks.”

Shira Goodman, executive director of CeaseFirePA, said, “We have been working with the families of Tamaqua since the School District’s plan became public. It is unconscionable that the school district is again hiding its efforts and ignoring the views of the people who spend the most time in these schools — parents, students and teachers. We will continue to stand with teachers, parents and students to fight this high-risk policy.”

Goodman brought up the wording in the parents’ suit against the district. “The board members of the Tamaqua Area School District have exceeded their authority and endangered their community by enacting School District Policy 705, a manifestly illegal policy that authorizes guns in the classrooms and lethal force in the halls,” the suit states.

CeaseFirePA maintains, “This misguided and dangerous policy is in violation of Pennsylvania law and will make students, faculty and administrators far less safe.”

“Once again, the Tamaqua Area School District has ignored the voices of teachers, students and parents. Once again, the school district has hidden its actions, revealing the reinstatement of the policy only when asked directly about the policy by a community members who attended last night’s meeting.”

Teachers union responds

The Tamaqua Education Association has also issued a statement in response to the school board’s decision to move forward with the policy.

Steven J Cholish, PSEA/NEA UniServ Representative, said, “The Tamaqua Education Association is disappointed by the school district’s decision to prematurely reinstate this policy while a court challenge remains underway.

“The Tamaqua EA maintains that this policy is a violation of the Pennsylvania School Code and other state laws that are very specific about who can carry firearms in our schools. We believe that it puts every teacher, student, administrator or visitor who enters a Tamaqua school building at risk in a dangerous situation. Parents have also spoken out against this policy and the professionals of the Tamaqua Education Association are prepared to see this court challenge through to the bitter end.”

Cholish said the union is awaiting a trial date.

The statement continues, “Only a school police officer or school resource officer with state-required weapons training and experience is permitted by state law to carry and use firearms in a school. Teachers and support professionals aren’t trained law enforcement officers. Their job is to teach kids.

“The district’s policy ignores this state law and allows school employees without the proper training to carry and use firearms in school. We must follow the law to ensure students and staff remain safe. That is our top priority.”

Parents respond

The adoption of the policy led to the formation of The Tamaqua Citizens for Safe Schools group and Facebook page. Parents began researching other methods to keep students safe. Some of the founders are now candidates for school board.

Parent Jen Paisley has been active in researching alternatives to staffers carrying guns.

“We are developing this policy in a reactive manner, and preparing for the most egregious of circumstances that may never come in our lifetime. There is no guarantee having an armed presence in the school will prevent loss of life in an active shooter incident,” Paisley said Thursday morning.

“We certainly know it didn’t in the Virginia Tech incident and at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. What we can guarantee is that some of our students will no longer feel safe inside the classroom walls they once did; and they may no longer feel trusting of the teachers that they share those walls with. And that is the ultimate loss in this situation, and it breaks my heart.”

Paisley advocates working together.

“The divisive rhetoric flowing in this discussion serves no other purpose than to distract people from what we should be focusing on, and that is the safety of the students and staff in our district,” Paisley said.

“We are all on the same team. We all share the same goal of keeping our students as safe as possible, and I truly believe we can find common ground in achieving this goal if we are simply willing to work together in an open and honest manner.”