Every parent sends their child to school trusting that the adults in charge have done everything possible to keep them safe. I share that goal completely. But when I look at what Governor Kehoe just signed into law with the Missouri Rangers program, I don't see a safety plan — I see a rushed rollout that could put our kids at greater risk if we don't get the details right.
The law leaves critical questions unanswered. What are the minimum training hours before a Ranger can carry a firearm inside a school? How are districts supposed to afford this without cutting teachers or counselors? What happens when a Ranger makes a split-second mistake in a hallway full of kids? The POST Commission gets to set these standards, but there's no guarantee those standards will be strong enough, transparent enough, or consistent from one district to the next. Wealthy districts may build solid programs. Underfunded rural and urban schools may hire whoever they can get. That's not equal protection — that's a patchwork that parents can't trust.
I'm asking you to push for immediate legislative oversight of the Missouri Rangers program — specifically, public hearings that require the POST Commission to present their training standards, district eligibility requirements, and accountability measures before any Ranger is deployed in a classroom. Our children shouldn't be a test case. Get this right before it goes live.
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