BURLINGTON - One Connecticut school district will have armed security guards in its schools beginning this fall.
The Board of Education in Region 10 voted unanimously this week to allow guards to carry handguns. The Region 10 superintendent says parents in Harwinton and Burlington were notified via email on Wednesday that guard will be armed starting in September.
The guards are expected to undergo training this summer, and are all retired police officers.
After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, Region 10 hired security guards, but did not arm them.
Parents like Lisa Dennis are in favor of the BOE’s decision.
“I think it’s great,” said Dennis. “If anything ever happens we know that the administration are in a better position to protect the children.”
Ken Murphy echoed that sentiment.
“This is a small town and you never expect anything to happen,” said Murphy. “It’s good to be prepared.”
The decision also comes in response to several recent shooting incidents around the country, including the deadly shootings at Santa Fe High School in Texas, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.