TOPPENISH, WA (KOMO/CNN) - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee confronted President Trump Monday on the idea of arming teachers to deter school shootings.
But in Inslee's own state, one school district already has armed employees.
It's an open secret that nobody will admit: Which staff or administrator at Toppenish High School is carrying a concealed pistol.
"It's not public knowledge, no," Principal Shawn Meyers said.
But there's no mistaking there are weapons in lockers and hidden on people.
"I'm not willing to put myself or anybody that is potentially here, or especially my kids, at risk," Meyers said.
Superintendent John Cerna said Toppenish is “absolutely not" a gun-free zone. He’s one of the armed administrators in the school district.
He keeps a gun safe underneath his desk.
"We have an armed presence in every one of our buildings," Cerna explained.
The catalyst, the massacre of school kids at Sandy Hook.
Four years ago, Cerna got the school board's approval to train and arm just administrators and staff. Other superintendents pushed back.
"I'll be really honest with you. They thought I was crazy to even attempt to do something like this," Cerna explained.
There are now 19 staffers covering the district’s 6 schools, each trained to defend against active shooters, walking among the kids with concealed weapons.
The district supplies the bulletproof vests, but not the guns.
Cerna likes to think he runs the safest school in America.
Even so, teachers like Jason Smith are not allowed to carry. The school board hasn't given the OK for teachers, but it could.
"We are going to protect our children and people know that. And if it's through arming people, then OK. And, I think the deterrence factor would be very strong," Smith said.
The district wants people to know there are guns on campus. It's an attitude, as it says on the sign entering the town that reads, 'Where the west still lives.'
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