Two in two weeks: Another superintendent loses job after bringing a gun to school

John Gunn was arrested the morning after he had resigned from the McCreary County School District in Kentucky.

Former McCreary County School District (Kentucky) superintendent John Gunn was arrested this week for allegedly bringing a gun to the central office the morning after he resigned.

John Gunn (Photo: McCreary County School District superintendent)
John Gunn (Photo: McCreary County School District superintendent)

Gunn was allegedly carrying the firearm when he was captured on surveillance video trying to enter the McCreary County Board of Education’s main office around 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. The district’s school board had accepted his resignation—after less than a year on the job—at a special meeting the night before.

Gunn, 60, “admitted to having the handgun in his possession while trying to enter the building … Subject was reluctant to put his hands behind his back,” according to a McCreary County Schools police department arrest citation seen by the Herald-Leader. 

Gunn was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon on school property, LEX 18 reported.

That’s not a crime in every state. Still, it’s the second time in the last few weeks that a superintendent has lost his job as a result of bringing a gun to school. Earlier this week, Robby Stuteville quit his job as superintendent of rural Rising Star ISD in Texas after it emerged that his gun was found by a third-grader in a school restroom sometime in January.

But most Rising Star ISD parents did not find out about the potentially dangerous incident until last week, KTXS reported. Stuteville himself confirmed that he had removed his gun and placed it in a stall while going to the restroom at Rising Star Elementary School, according to KTAB’s BigCountryHomepage.com. About 15 minutes later, it was found by the student, who reportedly notified a teacher “without moving or touching the weapon,” the station reported.

Stuteville has not been charged with a crime.

“There was never a danger other than the obvious,” Stuteville told KTAB, adding that both he and the elementary school’s principals carry guns openly at school.


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Matt Zalaznick
Matt Zalaznick
Matt Zalaznick is a life-long journalist. Prior to writing for District Administration he worked in daily news all over the country, from the NYC suburbs to the Rocky Mountains, Silicon Valley and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He's also in a band.

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