October 2, 2015 4:58 PM

Guns, prayer top concerns of school district leaders meeting in Austin

Audience participation at the TASA/TASB conference indicates open carry and school prayer are at the top of the list for many Texas superintendents and school boards.

The annual TASA/TASB conference is the best place to get updates each fall on legislation and lawsuits that could impact school districts across the state. In a session hosted by the Texas Association of School Administrators, superintendents appeared most concerned about the impact of open carry legislation, a topic currently under review by Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office.

School districts want to know how “premises” is defined in the new law. One interpretation would allow firearms in school parking lots and on sidewalks. In a separate session on legal issues, attorney Joy Baskin of the Texas Association of School Boards said the “open” in “open carry” made the change significant. She urged school board presidents to keep parents informed and up to date.

Sen. John Whitmire** requested a clarification of the law last week. That means most school districts will go through a full football season and numerous off campus events that could be up for interpretation. One flummoxed superintendent in the TASA session told staff he’d rather know sooner than later, since his parking lot was typically filled with pickup trucks with guns racks at football games.

By Kimberly Reeves