New Armed Guardian Program Kicks Off In Utah Schools

Students in southern Utah returned to class Monday under a new statewide safety measure — armed guardians in every school.

The program comes from a 2024 Utah law requiring that at least one trained, armed (although concealed), and anonymous school employee be present in every building each day students are in class. The guardians are volunteers, not teachers or principals, and their primary role is to serve as the first line of defense in an emergency.

And in the case of the Washington County School District, we have two armed guardians in every single school in the county -- 56 schools, 112 guardians.

Also in Washington County, each guardian receives a one-time stipend of $500, but officials say the real motivation is the safety of students.

District communications director Steven Dunham says parents can feel confident their children are safe and secure, and that the program has been well received by both staff and families.

"They're all employees already -- they could be custodians. They could be cafeteria workers. They could be other of our support staff," Dunham said.

The law requires guardians to complete rigorous firearms and safety training before taking the post. Supporters believe the measure provides faster response in critical situations, especially in more rural areas where law enforcement response times can be longer.

This school year marks the first time the program is fully in place across all Utah schools.

While some parts of the state struggled to find enough volunteers for the program, Dunham said Washington County had no problem there.

"I think that speaks a lot to the community we have, that our employees are saying, 'I care not only about my job, but also the children that are here and I'm willing to step up and, if needs be, put myself in danger so the kids can be safe.' There's still that sense of community down here in Washington County. Old Superintendent Bergeson used to say, 'That's the Spirit of Dixie.' Everyone had to pull together to make things work down here and  that spirit is still here."

Dunham also said there is a "floating pool" of other guardians that could fill in at any location if necessary.

Armed Guardians In Schools in Washington County:

• Anonymous (concealed carry)
• All are already school district employees (although teachers and administrators are not allowed to be guardians)
• 40-plus hours of rigorous training
• Thorough background checks for all guardians
• 2 each for every public school in the Washington County School District (56 schools, 112 guardians)

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