A new policy in an Ohio school district allows teachers and staff to carry guns over concerns about response times for active shooters.

According to The Marion Star, the River Valley Local School district in rural Marion County has joined 22 other school districts that allow approved staff to carry weapons on campus.

According to the outlet, Superintendent Adam Wickham stated that “our schools will no long be unprotected and soft targets.” Most active-shooter incidents occur in ‘gun-free’ zones or in places with minimal safety measures. We want to make sure that our schools are not soft targets.

Wickham continued, “In a rural area, the response time can be as little as minutes in the case of an active shooter.” “The use armed staff can save lives because it allows for a quicker response to threats.” Recent school shootings in Nashville, Uvalde, and Parkland show that the faster you respond, the greater the chance of saving lives.

The superintendent stated that the Marion County Sheriff’s Office will provide a school resource officer to each of the four school buildings in the district, which includes a high-school, middle-school and two elementary schools.

Wickham told the local outlet that the community’s response to the policy was mostly positive, despite some parental concerns.

He said that “some have raised questions regarding the selection and training process.” The vast majority of parents expressed their appreciation for the proactive method used to protect their children. This is the main reason why armed staff are used.

We understand that not everyone will be in favor of this program. However, we have taken every measure possible at River Valley to ensure that our staff and students are able to return home to their families safely.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, on June 13, 20,22, signed House Bill 99, which allows school districts in the state to allow teachers, principals, and other staff members to bring guns into classrooms after 24 hours of training. The law was rushed through despite the criticism of some Democrats, who claimed it sent a wrong message after the Uvalde school shooting.

Wickham says that the district’s armed personnel will need more training than the state recommends. The district will require 50 hours of total training in 2020.