NEW MEXICO (KRQE) –  Some concerned parents say they’re in disbelief as the Logan Municipal School District raffled off a rifle to raise money for students. “I don’t think the school or any educational institution should be involved with selling or raffling weapons,” said one concerned Logan Municipal School parent who wishes to remain anonymous. The parent who reached out to KRQE said the district has asked the class of 2025 to raffle off tickets for an AR-15 rifle.

The district’s superintendent said the weapon was offered up as a donation for a class fundraiser. “The proceeds from the fundraiser will support the students to pay for prom to pay for graduation costs and to pay for a senior trip and they are very much looking forward to using those dollars and celebrating the end of their high school career in spring of 2025,” said Logan Municipal School Superintendent, Dennis Roch. 

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While the district’s superintendent highlighted the positives of the fundraiser, concerned parents said they’re frustrated with the so-called prize being offered up. “A raffle of a rifle like that just shouldn’t be done at school shouldn’t be done for the class or anything associated with the school because it is kind of contradictory to what their policies are,” said the concerned parent.

Superintendent Roch said having students raffle off a rifle is nothing out of the ordinary for Logan Municipal Schools and described the culture of guns as “normal” in the area. “We see a firearm as just another tool that we use often every other day in this part of the state. If we raffled off a brand new car there is no guarantee that somebody wouldn’t use that car to commit a crime or be injured in a car accident involving that car,” Roch said.

The district superintendent said at no point will the AR-15 be on school grounds and whoever wins the raffle will need to be of legal age and pass a background check.