By Jeff Carlton/Associated Press Writer
BURLESON — Burleson ISD, which taught students to attack a gunman if he invades a classroom, now says it regrets the training and students should not physically confront armed intruders.
A spokesman for the Burleson school system said Wednesday the district will continue to train students how to respond in life-threatening situations, but won’t show how to take down an attacker.
‘‘That was not something we believe in and not something we supported,’’ district spokesman Richard Crummel said. ‘‘It wasn’t brought to our attention until they had already done the training.’’
Teachers in all 11 schools in the Burleson district have received the fight-back training over the last 18 months. So did students at one elementary school and the high school.
The district is not backing away from every aspect of the training, still favoring ‘‘chaos theory.’’
‘‘We believe you make every effort to get away from the gunman or the intruder instead of going to the gunman or the intruder,’’ Crummel said. ‘‘You create chaos to get away. You don’t create chaos to take the gunman down.’’
The district sent letters to parents Friday expressing regret for the training and saying the district ‘‘does not, nor will we support teaching our students to attack an intruder.’’
The letter was signed by every principal in the district except for Norwood Elementary principal Lisa Crane, whose husband, Greg, originally suggested the training. Greg Crane, a former police officer, is a teacher at the high school. He could not immediately be reached for comment.
Burleson officials have fielded calls from parents, law-enforcement officials and other school districts since the policy made national news this month.
‘‘On a national level, people are calling in and saying bravo for at least looking at other options,’’ Crummel said. ‘‘On a local level, people are concerned about one thing: how it affects their children.’’
The district’s emergency training covered various emergencies, such as tornadoes, fires and situations where first aid is required. But the most controversial aspect of the training had to do with armed intruders.
Students learned to not comply with a gunman’s orders and to take him down. They also learned how to treat gunshot wounds, use a belt as a sling and to use shoelaces for tourniquets.
Robin Browne of Response Options, the company providing the training, has said Burleson wanted all students and teachers trained to fight back by the end of 2007. It was believed to be the first school district in the country to undertake this training, Browne said.
The district has paid Response Options about $2,000, Crummel said.
