HANDGUN CLASSES IRK ALEXANDRIA SCHOOL OFFICIALS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 7, 1993                   TAG: 9302070103
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ALEXANDRIA                                LENGTH: Short
HANDGUN CLASSES IRK ALEXANDRIA SCHOOL OFFICIALS
Some city school officials are up in arms over a handgun ownership and safety class being offered at T.C. Williams High School, which bans guns from school property.
"We have a school board policy that prohibits guns on school premises, but in the evening are teaching a course promoting handgun usage," said City Council member Kerry Donley.
Alexandria Sheriff James Dunning called the night course offering "completely inappropriate."
"I don't think the school system should be in the business of offering classes that encourage the use of handguns," Dunning said.
The 2 1/2-hour class, Basics of Handgun Ownership and Safety Procedures, is being offered as an Adult Community Education class by the Alexandria public schools.
Proponents of the class say the class doesn't advocate guns or gun ownership, but gives people a chance to learn safety techniques to prevent accidents.
"Many accidents occur because people buy guns and don't know how to use them," class instructor Linda Klinger said. "Since they have guns anyway, let's at least teach them how to use them."
Klinger developed the class, which has been taught at T.C. Williams for the past two years.
The revolvers and semiautomatic guns provided by the instructor are never loaded during the class, she said.
Some people who have taken the course decided afterward not to buy a gun because of the responsibility that comes with ownership, Klinger said.
School Board officials have discussed the matter, but have reached no decisions.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB