Here is an email from a person to the TUSD board regarding my interview with Michael Hicks and arming teachers:
Ms. Foster, Ms. Grijalva, Mr. Hicks, Dr. Trujillo, Ms. Sedgwick, and Dr. Stegeman:
On February 26, 2018, Mr. Hicks gave an interview to KNST radio during which he advocated for arming teachers and staff in TUSD schools, or providing for permitting teachers to bring their own firearms to campus.
I wish to register my unequivocal and unwavering opposition to firearms of any kind on any TUSD campus.
Given the potential for accidental injury as well as escalation of disciplinary issues into criminal charges and the part this plays in the school to prison pipeline, I have been and remain opposed to on-duty police officers on campus. I am, however, willing to compromise, and recognize that it appears the rest of our community has reached a consensus on this issue. The arming of teachers and staff, however, is a bright line that I will not cross.
I promise that I will never permit my children to attend a school with armed teachers or staff.
I have never seriously considered sending my children anywhere but TUSD schools. I attended Wrightstown, Magee, and University High School. I received an excellent education that prepared me for college and for life. I want my children to have the same opportunity. I don't know where we would send our children or how we would pay for it, but I promise you that if there is even the possibility of a member of staff carrying a firearm on campus, my children will not be there.
I am not prepared today to offer an emotionally compelling or well-researched intellectual argument about gun control or gun ownership or public possession of firearms. If, as Mr. Hicks and the interviewer suggested, you choose to hold a public forum on this issue, I will attempt to be better prepared. For today, I simply wish to reiterate that I will never, ever permit my children to attend a school with armed teachers or staff.
Here is the response from TUSD board member Rachael Sedgwick:
Good Morning,
Thank you for reaching out. I agree with you. I am sorry that you heard such nonsense on the radio. I want to let you know that I think the idea of arming teachers is potentially the most ignorant, twisted, and ineffective joke of an idea that I have heard in quite some time. I was a teacher for 13 years, and I was teaching elementary and middle school students in Bridgeport (10 minutes from Sandy Hook) when the crazy gunner killed students and teachers. People spoke then of arming teachers. It went nowhere. It will go nowhere in Arizona if I can help it.
I will not ever vote to approve guns in the hands of educators on campus.
In fact, I have requested an agenda item for the board to vote for a no tolerance policy regarding guns on campus. Anyone who would advocate to bring guns on campus should not be on a school board. That is my opinion.
Thank you,Rachael Sedgwick