Students within the Eau Claire, Wis. area school district had a different Veterans Day today. Since the 1930s, local veterans came to the school and did a program that include a 21-gun salute. That didn’t take place, because of a disagreement over firearms.

According to WEAU, the veterans received several different reasons for the cancellation, but one of the main concerns focused around firearms on school grounds.

Vice President of the Patriotic Council, Kaye Olsen says, “Now as the last few years have gone on, with the school shootings and everything, it’s getting harder to do our veterans programs like we want to,” said Kaye Olsen, vice president of the Patriotic Council.

Olsen said recent school shootings has hindered the group from doing the Veterans Day celebration they want to.

“It’s really hard to tell the veterans they’re not allowed to bring those rifles in,” said Olsen. “Which, the only purpose is, to honor our flag and our country and to teach the kids.”

The district said that it’s becoming more difficult to honor the memory and sacrifice of veterans on Veterans Day:

“We like to honor the veterans; we bring them in on a regular basis,” said Tim Libham, the Executive Director of Administration for the district. “There are just some conditions that we have to adhere to and the shooting of guns, even with blanks, is something we don’t feel is appropriate given society, and the concerns that we have and that the community has, on school premises.”

Even the use of blanks is an issue: “We’d had family and students that were uneasy, even with blanks being fired on school premise,” added Libham.

The veterans group was able to have a service. It was in a Burger King parking lot, where they were able to perform “Taps” and do a 21-gun salute.

Do you agree with this school district? Give us your thoughts below?