Tulsa Shooting Academy offers free course for educators

 After the school shooting massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, some local educators are taking matters into their own hands and learning to defend themselves in case of an emergency.  The U.S. Shooting Academy in North Tulsa is offering Oklahoma’s open-carry class for free to any educators in the 918 area code.

Even though it’s not legal to arm teachers now, Oklahoma is one of 11 states preparing legislation that would allow teachers to have guns on public campuses. 

U.S. Shooting Academy Manager, Dave Saye, said he wanted to offer the course free of charge, because he's worried about school security.

"The odds are pretty obvious, if someone walks into the classroom with a gun and there’s no way to protect the children, then he pretty much has a shooting gallery,” he explained. “I know that sounds bad, but that’s the way it is. We want some kind of response to deter the shooter from doing damage."

He wants to help educators out by putting them through the handgun license class for free. It typically costs $60 dollars per person.

He said, '”They will learn when to use and when to not use their firearm, the ramifications of doing so, and the basic laws using their firearms in a defensive situation."

Saye taught me how to load, aim and fire in a matter of about of about five minutes. He said that small amount of time it takes to learn could make the difference between life and death. Even though it's not legal for educators to carry now, Saye is hoping to get teachers or principals prepared just in case.

"School shootings have been around a long time, not all of them make the news or are as impacting as Sandy Hook but it’s a constant problem,” Saye said.  “It’s remote that you will be involved in a shooting but I want our teachers to be prepared if something does happen that they can take care of their kids."

Regardless of when or if legislation ever gets passed, any educator that goes through the handgun course will have completed the first step in getting their license to carry in Oklahoma.

As of Friday, 300 educators have expressed interest in coming to the open registration, which is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, January 19. The U.S. Shooting Academy is at 6500 East 66th St. N. in North Tulsa. This class is available to any public educators in the 918 area code.