Will Naches Schools Join Toppenish, Ki-Be in Allowing Armed Educators?

School officials are still compiling information and comments from parents and other interested parties following a public forum held Monday about whether the district should allow certain school officials to be armed.

The forum was held in the district's middle school, and officials said they were considering arming administrators and some staff, to go along with their complete emergency program that's already in place.

While officials praised the support and protection of area police, they said in case of emergency, it might take a few minutes for them to arrive, and those few minutes could be a lot less tragic if an armed, trained school official could deal with an intruder or someone else bent on harming students and staff.

Kiona-Benton and Toppenish have already armed some staff and administrators. School officials agree it's in direct response to the rash of school shootings that have been occurring around the nation over the last number of years.