An Ohio school district now allows its employees to carry arms inside the campus to protect their students from any threat or active shooters on the loose.
The River Valley Local School District, situated in Marion County, is among the 22 public school districts in Ohio that have approved armed staff members on campus.
Superintendent Adam Wickham states that this move aims to enhance the safety measures in place, ensuring their schools are not vulnerable to any form of attack. Despite reservations from a few parents, the policy has garnered positive feedback from the majority of people.
Allowing Arms at the River Valley Local School District
According to Fox, the River Valley Local School District's decision to allow approved staff members to carry firearms on campus has resulted from growing concerns over response times in rural communities during an active shooter scenario.
Superintendent Adam Wickham has emphasized that each of the district's four buildings will have an armed staff member in addition to a school resource officer from the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Wickham has explained that the main aim of implementing armed staff is to enhance student and staff safety during an emergency situation and ensure a quick response to such cases.
He further elaborated that most active shooter events occur in areas designated as "gun-free zones" or with minimal safety measures, making schools soft targets for potential attackers. The district hopes to prevent any such incident by having armed staff members on site.
Based on ABC6, while some parents have expressed concerns about the training process, the vast majority of parents have expressed their appreciation for the proactive approach to protecting their children.
The superintendent has acknowledged the importance of addressing these concerns and stated that the district is committed to adequately training staff members.
Recent school shootings in Nashville, Uvalde, and Parkland have demonstrated the importance of a quick response time in potentially saving lives.
With the implementation of this new policy, the River Valley Local School District is taking steps to ensure that its schools are not soft targets and that its students and staff are better protected.
New Policy Requires Appropriate Amount of Training
As per the Marion Star, Superintendent Wickham has stated that the school district's policy on armed staff aligns with House Bill 99, which Governor Mike DeWine signed into law in June 2022. The law allows school boards to choose to arm specific staff members and mandates that reasonable training requirements be met.
Wickham explains that the River Valley Board had already approved the use of armed staff for the 2020-21 school year, and it was confidential as part of the district's safety plan. However, the Ohio Supreme Court suspended the use of armed staff in school districts in the summer of 2021.
Following the passage of HB 99 and the release of training details by the state in December 2022, Wickham recommended to the board that the program be resumed, and the board approved it at a meeting on January 12, 2023.
The superintendent emphasizes that the armed staff members in the district will receive more training than what is required by the state. In 2020, they will require a total of 50 hours of training.
While acknowledging that not everyone may support the program, Wickham believes that every safety measure taken at River Valley, including the use of armed staff, is intended to ensure the safety of staff and students so that they can return safely home to their families each day.
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