Session In-Depth: Jerry Patterson

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, appearing on Sunday's edition of KXAN's "In Session, In-Depth," said no one should fear his proposal for armed personnel in Texas' public schools.

"I am a proponent of having a competent, capable, trained person at every public school with a firearm," Patterson, an announced candidate for the 2014 Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.

Asked if he'd accept an opt-out provision for parents who don't want their kids in an armed environment, Patterson said no.

"What if parents don't want their child to go to the mall where there are police officers?" he asked rhetorically. "That doesn't many any sense to me. The objective is safety. We should do whatever it takes to enhance safety, no matter who we offend."

Patterson said he is not advocating arming every teacher in every class. Instead, local school districts could choose to place armed police officers or security guards, or training school staff to handle firearms under stress.

He also stressed the need for the Republican Party to accept the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

See the full interview with KXAN's Josh Hinkle in the first video in the box above. The next video contains the roundtable discussion with Christy Hoppe of the Dallas Morning News, Ben Philpott of KUT and the Texas Tribune and Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle.