Cheyenne school board hears public comments, staff update as district drafts firearms policy after state law change

Laramie County School District #1 trustees heard more than an hour of public comment and a staff update Wednesday as the district works to write a policy implementing House Bill 172, the Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act, which takes effect July 1, 2025.

The move follows state legislation that allows adults with valid Wyoming concealed-carry permits to carry on school property. Liz Eddington, a 25-year district teacher, told trustees that allowing guns on campus “in the name of safety and deterrence does not address the root problem” and urged the board to focus on mental-health supports and prevention.

Why it matters: The statute requires boards to adopt rules that specify training and curriculum for staff and volunteers who may carry. Those required elements must go through a 45-day public-comment rulemaking process, so the district must reconcile statutory deadlines with a need for careful drafting, insurance review and coordination with the U.S. Air Force at Freedom Elementary, which sits on leased federal property.

During public comment, Patricia McCoy, a community member, praised the district’s “transparency” in producing a full concealed-carry policy and urged continued work with law enforcement on training. Dylan Ford, president of the Cheyenne Teachers Association (CTA), said some teachers had already resigned over the state law and pressed for strict holster, trigger-guard and biometric-storage requirements to reduce accidental access and for clear limits on when force is permitted. “False alarms are absolutely certain,” Ford warned, citing multiple false-alarm incidents at one high school this year.

District staff member Polly (policy staff) told the board staff had identified three unresolved issues delaying release of a draft for the 45-day public-comment period: (1) statutory requirements to include training and curriculum language in the rule rather than an administrative regulation; (2) lack of insurance coverage statewide for districts that adopt such policies; and (3) federal-lease constraints at Freedom Elementary, which may require separate treatment of that site or explicit U.S. Air Force approval.

Polly said the training language must be stable before the 45-day posting to avoid repeated re-noticing; staff are also exploring whether a temporary emergency rule could bridge the July 1 start date and the board’s regular meeting schedule. “We are not covered. No district in the state, unless you’ve already had an existing policy, is covered,” Polly said about insurance declarations district staff are reviewing.

Superintendent Dr. Brian Newton (identified in the meeting as Doctor Newton) and trustees thanked participants and acknowledged community concern. Trustees said they would follow state law while working to incorporate safeguards and will consider special meetings or emergency rules if needed to meet statutory timelines.

Next steps noted by staff included continuing to work with law enforcement and insurance providers, clarifying potential language for the Air Force-leased site, and aiming to have a draft ready for board review in early May for public comment; the board could consider emergency rules to be effective July 1 and adopt final rules later if public comment prompts changes.

The board did not take a formal vote on the policy at Wednesday’s meeting; staff framed the session as an update and public comment period leading into further rulemaking.