PITTSBURGH — Students and parents are urging the area's biggest school district not to arm its police force.
RELATED: Officers pushing to be armed in one of area's largest school districts
Over the summer, the Pittsburgh Public School Board passed a resolution vowing never to arm its teachers, and many members said they don't want guns in schools period.
About 75 people, mostly from the Education Rights Network, attended a public hearing Monday to argue against allowing Pittsburgh school police officers to carry guns.
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This month, the school police chief asked for the policy change, saying the district's officers have the proper training and should be allowed to carry guns in order to protect students if there were ever an active shooter situation.
Other groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have argued that bringing weapons into the school would change the environment for students.
Channel 11 spoke to a school board member, who says, she’s against the policy change.
"Right now, there is a zero percent chance of a school police officer shooting a child in Pittsburgh Public Schools. If this policy changes, that chance goes out. And I’m never OK with that," said Moira Kaleida.
The school board will vote on the issue Wednesday night.