School officials want legal opinions on carrying guns in the Board of Education building and the arming of employees.

A discussion on whether it’s legal to have a “no firearms” sign on the doors leading into the Board of Education building that houses administrative offices led to a board request for Superintendent John Kronour to obtain some legal direction from the district’s lawyers.

Although not a part of the Jan. 3 board discussion sparked by comments from members Tom Merritt and Scott Dixon, Kronour also is seeking information on legality of arming school employees.

Both issues will be discussed at a future board meeting, though Kronour last week said he was not sure if information would be available for the board’s next meeting Jan. 28.

The discussion came just a few weeks after a heavily armed gunman forced his way into a Newtown, Conn., elementary school and killed 20 children along with six adults before killing himself.

Dixon and Merritt told fellow board members they question if the Board building is covered by state law banning weapons in schools. A sign posted on the door, apparently after the law was approved several years ago, states it is illegal to have a gun in the building.

Merritt and Dixon said they are concerned the sign may be prohibiting someone with a concealed carry permit from carrying when they could do so legally. They said the building is an administrative building as opposed to an education building.

“I think if they are legally allowed to, it should be allowed,” Merritt said.

The board was divided on having someone on a district property with a weapon.

Dixon said the concealed carry laws allow someone to carry a gun in a school with the board of education’s permission. “I would not want to discourage them if they are concerned about personal protection,” he said.

Board member Kate Johnsen said if any business with children is conducted in the board building, she doesn’t want people carrying guns.

Kronour said he has concerns about guns around children.

“Yes, there is a protection factor but there also is lot of things that can go wrong. That is my concern,” he said.