Ohio School District Arms Teachers and Staff: "'Our Schools Will No Longer Be Soft Targets'

In response to concerns about active shooter response times, Ohio’s River Valley Local School District in rural Marion County has adopted a new policy allowing teachers and school staff to be armed.

According to the Marion Star, River Valley joins 22 other Ohio school districts that permit approved staff members to carry weapons on campus.

Superintendent Adam Wickham stated that schools would no longer be “soft targets and unprotected,” noting that most active-shooter events occur in areas designated as “gun-free zones” or with minimal safety measures.

He emphasized the importance of ensuring that their schools will not be soft targets.

River Valley Local School District believes with training allowing their teachers to carry guns will make their buildings safer.https://t.co/hXijW60JEU

— KSNV News 3 Las Vegas (@News3LV) April 16, 2023

Wickham also highlighted the potential for armed staff in rural communities to save lives due to longer response times in the event of an active shooter.

He cited recent school shootings in Nashville, Uvalde, and Parkland as examples of how quicker response times could potentially save lives.

Wickham confirmed that each of the district’s four buildings, including a high school, a middle school, and two elementary schools, would have an armed staff member in addition to the school resource officer on campus from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

While some parents have expressed concerns about the training and selection process, the superintendent noted that the majority of parents appreciate the proactive approach to protecting their children.

Wickham acknowledged that not everyone would support the program, but emphasized that every safety measure, including the use of armed staff, is put in place to ensure the safe return of staff and students to their families each day.

God bless The River Valley Local School District in rural Marion County
Ohio school district allows staff to be armed: ‘Our schools will no longer be soft targets’https://t.co/QUsd9wZ6ZS

— Ron Biggers (@StreetPastorRon) April 17, 2023

Republican Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 99 on June 13, 2022, allowing school districts across the state to authorize teachers, principals, and other staff to carry guns into classrooms with 24 hours of training.

Despite criticism from some Democrats who argued that the law sent the wrong message following the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting, lawmakers fast-tracked the legislation.

Wickham stated that armed staff in the River Valley Local School District would undergo more training than recommended by the state.

In 2020, the district required a total of 50 hours of training for armed staff members.

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