BASTROP, Texas — Bastrop ISD is the latest local school district to apply for a "good cause" exemption to a new Texas law on school security.
House Bill 3 requires all school districts to have an armed guard on every campus during school hours. However, the law allows districts to claim exemptions, as long as they come up with an alternative plan to increase security.
As of Wednesday, Bastrop ISD has not announced its alternative plan.
But Bastrop ISD is far from the only Central Texas school district that has said it can't comply with the law because it can't hire – or find – enough people to meet the requirement.
Last week, Pflugerville ISD claimed an exemption to the law, saying it is struggling to hire for the required positions while competing with other districts offering higher pay for the same officers.
Hays CISD and Georgetown, Leander and Dripping Springs ISDs have all also claimed good cause exemptions. Other school districts have indicated they will apply for the exemption as well.
For most districts, claiming an exemption means they will either create their own district police force or adopt a school marshal program.
School marshals can carry a gun on campus, but they don't have to be trained officers. Some may be retired police officers, but even a teacher could apply for a marshal position, depending on the district.