KP-0454

Summary

A school district board of trustees may designate an individual to carry a handgun for the protection of students and staff by implementing a guardian plan or utilizing a school security officer. Education Code section 37.0811 provides another option for accomplishing this purpose by generally allowing a school board to appoint one or more school marshals for each campus in the district. Subsection 37.0811(c) authorizes a school marshal to possess a handgun on the physical premises of a school, but only in the manner provided by written regulations adopted by the board of trustees. A school marshal possesses a handgun when it is openly carried on the marshal’s duty belt. Therefore, a court would likely conclude that Education Code subsection 37.0811(c) authorizes a board of trustees to adopt regulations that allow a school marshal to duty belt carry a handgun.