So far, there has been little public discussion locally of a new Ohio law that will leave it up to public school boards to decide whether to arm district personnel.
The law, House Bill 99, was signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in June, shortly after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas, on May 24. The new rule goes into effect this fall.
The law, as enacted, requires up to 24 hours of training before an employee can go armed, and up to eight hours of annual training. The training programs must be approved by the Ohio School Safety Center, and DeWine announced when he signed the bill that he's ordering the center to require the maximum 24 hours and the maximum eight hours.
Schools can provide additional training if they wish, DeWine said.
The Courier contacted all public school superintendents and school board presidents in Findlay-Hancock County via email this week, asking for their opinion on the new law. One school board president responded.
Education leaders on the state level have also been quiet on the issue. There has been no position statement from the state associations representing either the superintendents or the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA). The OSBA is promising legal advice.
Both of the state teachers unions, however, came out in opposition to the law almost immediately.
The response of the Ohio Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, decried the governor for signing the bill:
"The Ohio Education Association (OEA)...
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