Ryan Walters requests $500,000 to train select Oklahoma teachers to carry firearms

(This story was updated to change or add a photo or video)

State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters requested that $500,000 in the Oklahoma State Department of Education's upcoming budget be directed toward a pilot program to train public school district personnel to carry concealed firearms.

Walters said during the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting Thursday some school districts already have policies allowing trained staff members to carry concealed firearms. Few people in the district know which school personnel carry a gun on campus, he added, like administrators and board members.

Oklahoma law allows any school's board of education to designate trained school personnel to obtain and use an armed security guard license along with their employment as school personnel. The law also provides trained personnel immunity from civil and criminal liability for any injury resulting from carrying a handgun on a public school campus.

The State Board of Education's request for $500,000 wouldn't change a district's ability to enact its own policy regarding trained personnel carrying on campus, Walters said. It would provide funding to districts that want additional trained staff members.

Schools with trained personnel carrying firearms would have signage posted indicating that, Walters said.

"Part of this is not only having more individuals that have the ability to carry, it's also simply the fact that people would know there are people here that are trained and carry and you don't know who they are," Walters said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ryan Walters calls for $500k for Oklahoma teacher firearm training