Valentine's Day marks one year since the Parkland, Florida school massacre. In the days that followed, debates swirled as how to best keep students safe in the classroom. One north Georgia school system responded by voting to arm teachers who would volunteer to carry guns.
The Fannin County Board of Education was the second district in the state to vote to arm teachers - after Laurens County, which is near Macon.
Fannin County passed the proposal in May, causing controversy. Some parents were outraged, while others said it was necessary.
Now that this measure has been in place for a full semester, parents are talking to 11Alive.
"When you create a gun-free zone you've taken away all of the security," said Elliott Southworth, a parent and member of the NRA. He is glad Fannin County took action.
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"I think Fannin will be much less likely to have an incident now that it's adopted the content of that program to a large degree, than other school systems that haven't," he said.
The policy states that the Board may authorize certain personnel to possess or carry weapons on any property or in any building owned or leased by the district, at a school function, or on a bus or other transportation furnished by the district - given that training is approved, the weapons are maintained by the superintendent and approved by the sheriff, and employees deciding to carry are volunteering to do so. All weapons must be concealed.
Kyle Raque is a parent who was against the policy from the start.
"I believe that a teacher's primary purpose should be to teach," he said.
I've worked with some pretty big kids and know some pretty big guys that could overpower a teacher," he added.
The superintendent also shared a letter sent to parents saying that the decision comes purely from making safety a top priority, and if there is an actual threat they don't have to rely on outside help.