Lake County Schools seeks employees' feedback about arming them on campus

TAVARES, Fla. — Lake County Schools has disseminated to its employees a questionnaire, asking if they would be willing to carry guns on campus and if such a change would make them feel safer.

Channel 9 obtained a copy of the eight-question survey, which asks employees if they feel safe on campus.

District officials will consider the feedback before deciding whether to allow certain employees to carry guns on campus under the state's new optional guardian program, which was created after a mass shooting last month at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Lake County School Board member Bill Mathias said he supports the measure.

"It's important for the stakeholders to fill them out and get them in and have their voices heard," he said. "I think it's time that we recognize that we have five minutes or less to stop that attacker. And in my opinion, it is with an armed administrator or armed teacher."

Stuart Klatte, president of the Lake County Education Association, said the program could open a Pandora's box.

"I'm encouraging teachers (to) be very honest, (to) get their feelings known," he said. "Let teachers teach. Let law enforcement enforce the laws."

The survey's deadline is Monday, but there isn't a timetable of when school board members might vote on the program.

Cox Media Group