Portland Public Schools Updates Gun Ban To Include Concealed Weapons

PORTLAND, OR — Portland Public Schools voted Tuesday night to expand its ban on weapons on school grounds to include concealed weapons. The ban was approved unanimously.

The ban covers even a person with a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

There are two exceptions: law enforcement officers and people authorized by the district superintendent.

The policy goes into effect immediately and comes on the heels of a new state law allowing districts to implement such bans.

The ban was necessary, Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero said in a memo to the board Friday.

"As a school system, the safety and well-being of our students and staff are always our utmost
priority," he said.

Guerrero's recommendation were based on research that shows that the presence of guns in schools does not make teachers, students and staff safer, he said.

The district should remain focused on making schools safer by taking a more holistic approach that focuses on addressing antecedents, providing behavioral and mental health support for students, making specific physical safety and security upgrades to schools and effectively preparing for potential crises, he added.

"These proposed policy revisions are another important step we can take to ensure students and our staff are safe in school."