More than 110 Ohio school districts and schools have staff members authorized to carry firearms on school grounds, according to the Ohio School Safety Center. A total of 116 school districts and independent schools currently have armed employees as of June 17.

Program Details

The program stems from legislation signed in 2022 by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, which allows local school boards to decide whether teachers and other school employees may carry firearms on school property. The law also reduced the minimum required training hours for armed school personnel from 700 hours to at least 24 hours.

Supporters of local control say the law gives districts flexibility to make safety decisions based on local needs, while critics argue the reduced training requirements are not sufficient for school environments. Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper criticized the minimum training standard, saying it does not adequately prepare staff for high-pressure situations.

Antwerp Local Schools in Paulding County is among the districts that have armed staff members, a policy that has been in place for several years. District superintendent Marty Miller said the decision was influenced by concerns about emergency response times in the rural community.

Miller said the district chose to arm non-teaching staff who move throughout the school day rather than classroom teachers. The district currently has four armed staff members, all of whom receive annual training, and also employs a school resource officer.

Other Districts

In Cuyahoga County, Euclid City Schools implemented its armed staff program in 2022, according to district spokesperson Dominick Ferlito. Ferlito said all armed employees in the district are trained through the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.

Original reporting: WOWO News/Talk (Fort Wayne) — read the source article.