ORANGE -
About 150 teachers gathered at Dirty Harry's gun range in Orange Saturday morning, as part of a concealed handgun license class offered totally free to area educators, by the man known by many as the Pistol Packing Pastor - James McAbee.
"After I saw what happened at Sandy Hook I said these gun free zones are not working... and my feeling is that if these teachers are armed, if they get permission from the district, it could protect our children," McAbee said.
McAbee normally charges $50 for the course. Wave after wave of teachers from all over Southeast Texas took their aim at the targets, some of them having never fired a weapon in their lives.
"I have never shot a gun before today. At first it was overpowering, but then it was empowering," said school teacher Ingrid Shores.
In order to pass, each shooter had to score at least 175 out of 250.
"Nobody's failed today. Everybody's shooting close to marksmanship shooting, I'd hate for some thug to walk into their school houses," said McAbee.
Right now teachers in Southeast Texas cannot carry guns in the classroom, but these sharpshooters were preparing themselves if policy ever changes.
"With the way our country's going right now and the things you're hearing about, not only at schools but in peoples homes, I need to make sure that I can protect myself and my children, whether it be my own children or the children in my classroom," Shores said.
McAbee couldn't agree more.
"I feel like they should put a sign up at the door that says 'Our teachers are armed to the teeth, you come here looking for trouble then you're going to get some'," he said.
And if that day ever comes, these teachers will be ready.
After everyone was done at the gun range, they all met at McAbee's church in Beaumont, the Lighthouse Worship Center. There, McAbee continued the CHL course, which ended with a written exam.
A journalist with USA Today was also on hand. McAbee tells 12News that article will be printed February 14.
