Madison, WI – A bill circulated today by State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), Representative Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) and Representative Jesse Kremer (R-Kewaskum) would give public and private K-12 schools the ability to allow or ban concealed carry holders from carrying concealed weapons on school property. In response, Rep. Jesse Kremer issued the following statements:
“This bill will bring Wisconsin in line with the spirit of the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act by allowing concealed carry permit holders the ability to carry their legally permitted weapon onto the grounds of a school. Prior to September 11, 2001, I and my fellow airline pilots were trained to give in to the demands of a hijacker. After September 11, all of that changed. As pilots, some of us were armed Federal Flight Deck Marshalls who underwent training in cockpit scenarios. No longer were we trained to give in to a terrorist’s demands, but rather we were trained to protect the cockpit by any means necessary. The intent of someone who storms through a schoolhouse door to kill children is terrorism. By allowing schools to determine how they wish to protect the children in their care, would-be criminals may be deterred and more lives may be saved.
“When interviewed by 60 Minutes in November of last year, Washington D.C.’s police Chief Cathy Lanier stated, ‘Your options are run, hide or fight. I always say if you can get out, getting out’s your first option, your best option. If you’re in a position to try and take the gunman down, to take the gunman out, it’s the best option for saving lives before police can get there.’ Chief Lanier’s plain words speak to the fact that in an active gunman situation, you may not be able to run, hide or fight. Allowing our school personnel to legally carry concealed weapons will hopefully prevent the next horrific school shooting from becoming a reality.
“My goal with this bill is to give our schools the tools to protect our kids and those who have watch over them. I urge my colleagues to support this important measure.”