Homemakers, doctors and churchgoers: who’s carrying at KHSD
They include a stay-at-home mom, a dispatcher for the
The Californian agreed not to publish the names of these permit holders.
People on both sides of the issue of whether the policy was appropriate argued their cases at KHSD board meetings in the months leading up to its adoption. Some argued more guns created unsafe spaces; others said no guns left students vulnerable to mass shootings.
The June policy only extended the privilege to general members of the public. The KHSD board expanded it to cover district officials Thursday.
At least three of those who've received permission to carry said they attend church services at
Allowing church attendees to carry concealed firearms was chief among Vegas' arguments for voting for the policy. He has not applied to carry his concealed firearm on district property.
Among Vegas' churchgoers is a 31-year-old
He does think, however, that churchgoers like him are greater targets for violence.
"It's true of any religion," he said. "There are a lot of targets out there and it's already occurred all over the country. All kinds of religious services have been targets of hate and anger."
It would be easy for CCW holders to ignore the district's policy, forego the required
But complying is easy, said the dispatcher.
"There's no need to break the law. It only cost me
Others had more pointed reasons for getting a CCW permit and district permission to carry, like a 43-year-old homemaker and her husband, whose child attends
The couple saw their elderly neighbor was being abused by her stepson a few years ago, so they broke it up and called the police.
The stepson went to jail, but was released early and soon after began threatening the stay-at-home mom's life.
"I carry my gun on my person everywhere I go now, unless it's prohibited by law," she said. "I've got this man out there and chances are, it's been five years, but I don't know that he won't do anything."
And like lots of other gun-owning Americans, she says the attention is unfairly placed on those abiding by the law instead of on criminals.
"People need to stop worrying about law-abiding citizens and start worrying about gang members and felons who have been released," she said.
Others, like a 69-year-old vendor who sharpens knives and repairs sewing machines for the district, just want to maintain their own safety while traveling around town.
"I've got all my equipment and tools in my van, thousands of dollars in equipment," he said in a gruff drawl.
His work takes him all around
"South Chester beyond the tracks, when I go to the barbershops, I've got people walking around eyeballing me. It's just protection."
So it's a matter of convenience to carry his gun with him along his route, including when he travels to high school campuses, even though he doubts he'll ever have to use it there.
"I hope I never have to use it," he said.
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