A San Diego teacher pleads guilty to bringing a loaded gun to the classroom but says it was to protect himself and his students.
Ned Walker faces five years in prison on a felony charge of possession of a firearm in a school zone.
San Diego Unified School District police arrested Walker in February after finding a semi-automatic handgun and knife in his car at Farb Middle School in Tierrasanta.
Prosecutors dismissed the charge of possessing a knife on school grounds, under a plea deal.
Walker is free on bail and on leave from his job.
Under proper circumstances teachers are allowed to carry weapons in California.
Recent changes in the California Penal code permit educators to carry guns on campus with the proper training and administrative approval.
In fact, according to one conceal carry instructor, dozens of teachers are doing it in San Diego County.
In the Zarkoski family reading is fundamental, arming the teachers and school administrators are not.
“Just temperaments of people and not knowing I just think the less the better,” parent Shawn Zarkoski said.
“More harm than good comes from arming people,” Kim Zarkoski said.
American Shooting Center owner and conceal-carry instructor Marc Halcon said educators' interest in arming themselves is growing.
“I have people take our class even if they aren't going to apply for a CCW,” Halcon said.
Halcon won't name names but estimates dozens of school employees are carrying concealed weapons on San Diego County Campuses legally.
“We have criminals out there that will kill clerks and teachers just to do it,” Halcon said.
It's not easy getting Conceal Carry Weapon (CCW) certification. Applications must complete eight hours of classwork along with written and shooting exams.
A person must also show just cause and get permission from the school district.
“In Northern California it's very predominant that permits are issued,” firearms Instructor Bill Desy said.
Properly trained, armed school employees makes sense, Desy said.
“If the police are six to ten minutes away it's much less likely they are going to get there to stop the person,” Desy said.
Armed or not a teacher's desire to protect the students doesn't change with the threat of a gun.
Just ask Mrs Zarkoski. She's also a first grade teacher.
“I would do what I had to do,” Zarkoski said .
Firearms trainers say getting a conceal-carry permit for personal protection in San Diego County is rare.
A gun owner has to prove a definite threat. As of right now, school teacher is not considered one of those occupations requiring the permit.
Most of those permits are issued to business owners transporting high value merchandise or cash.
Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego