August 15, 2008 -- Updated 2305 GMT (0705 HKT)

Texas district will let teachers carry guns

Story Highlights
* Harrold superintendent says district is far from sheriff's office
* Employees must adhere to certain requirements to carry guns
* Officials considered new policy for a year, superintendent says
* He won't tell how many staff members will be armed

HARROLD, Texas (AP) -- A tiny Texas school district will allow teachers and staff members to carry concealed firearms to protect against school shootings, provided the gun-toting employees follow certain requirements.

The small community of Harrold in north Texas is a 30-minute drive from the Wilbarger County Sheriff's Office, leaving students and teachers without protection, said David Thweatt, superintendent of the Harrold Independent School District. The lone campus of the 110-student district sits near a heavily traveled highway, which could make it a target, he argued.

"When the federal government started making schools gun-free zones, that's when all of these shootings started. Why would you put it out there that a group of people can't defend themselves? That's like saying 'sic 'em' to a dog," Thweatt said in a story published Friday on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Web site...

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