A Utah elementary school teacher who was carrying a concealed firearm at school accidentally shot herself in the leg when the weapon discharged in a faculty bathroom before classes yesterday morning, officials said. The teacher at Westbrook Elementary School, in the Salt Lake City suburb of Taylorsville, was injured when the bullet entered and exited her leg. She was in good condition and alert at the hospital by mid-morning, said a school spokesperson. No faculty members or students witnessed the shooting, and officials were still investigating how the gun discharged.
Utah is among the few states that allow people with concealed-weapons permits to carry guns in public schools, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Teachers are not required to disclose that they are carrying a weapon, and administrators are prohibited from asking. The Granite School District requires teachers who carry guns at school to keep the weapons with them at all times, including inside a bathroom stall, said the spokesperson. (More teacher stories.)