Huffman — School starts back up on Monday for 3,500 students at Huffman Independent School District schools.
However, some new signs outside school campuses are raising eyebrows.
Benny Soileau, superintendent of schools for Huffman ISD, said every second counts during an emergency. The signs let people know that staff will do whatever it takes to protect its students.
The new addition to campuses has a lot of people talking.
Brandy Carley, a parent of a high school student at Huffman ISD, loves the signs.
The signs are at every gate entrance next to the "no open carry" and "tobacco-free" signs.
Soileau said, “We want to use different and effective, proven measures and do everything that we can to create a safe environment for our children.”
These signs let everyone know staff may be armed and they’re ready to do anything to protect children from harm.
“After Parkland and after Santa Fe, we decided that it was prudent for us to move forward and it was right for our community,” Soileau said.
Huffman ISD joins 200 other school districts in Texas that has armed teachers as part of the state’s School Marshal program for the safety of children.
“They’re highly vetted and very well-trained,” Soileau said. “But, at the same time we don’t want to ever have to use our school marshal training because that means that we’re dealing with a serious situation in our school system.”
Parents and students said the signs are a welcomed sight in today’s society.
Carley said, “I think this is exactly what we need. With all the crazy stuff that’s been happening lately this makes me feel so much more secure sending my kids to school.”
Timothy Presley, a former Huffman ISD student said, “I think it’s pretty good that some of the teachers are armed, able to take care of the situations and not have to wait an hour for cops to show up.”
Robin Noland, a parent of three students in Huffman ISD schools said, “It’s the age in which we live with all the mass murders that have taken place. All the innocent lives that have been stolen and to see the heartbreak of what parents go through, I don’t ever want to have to go through that.”
Also, Soileau said all feedback regarding these signs have been positive.
The district does have two school resource officers on campus but the school marshals will serve as the first line of defense until back up arrives.