A majority of Ohio’s schools do not arm staff, but the number of districts with staff or security carrying guns has has grown exponentially.
Schools that allow staff or security must register with the Ohio School Safety Center.
As of August, 97 private, charter and public schools have registered with the OSSC to allow staff members to carry guns. There are more than 600 public school districts and more than 700 chartered private schools in the state, so the vast majority of schools are not arming staff members.
Many of the schools that are registered with the OSSC, though, say they haven’t armed teachers. Instead, officials at Fairborn City Schools, The Greater Dayton School and the Miami Valley Career Technology Center say they registered to allow security to carry a gun.
“Our safety and security supervisor Bill Titley carries and our policy was updated due to this,” said Pam Gayheart, spokeswoman for Fairborn schools. “He is the only one in the district.”
Miami Valley Career Technology Center administrators confirmed that teachers are not allowed to carry a gun on school grounds.
In 2022, following the Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooting, Ohio legislators allowed teachers or staff who receive 24 hours of training to carry a gun in schools. In early 2023, 22 schools registered to allow staff to carry guns.
By January 2024, the number of schools who had registered had grown to 63 districts, according to the OSSC.
In Montgomery County, just six schools have registered to carry guns in schools. They include East Dayton Christian School, The Miami Valley Career Technology Center, St. Peter School, the Greater Dayton School, Mad River Local, and New Lebanon.
Chad Wyen, superintendent for Mad River Local, said the district started the armed safety team in 2017. Certain teachers have access to guns in specific situations.
Wyen said the district just finished live fire Move and Shoot training along with Tourniquet and Wound Packing Training.
“Every staff member on the team has completed the OPOTA Private Security and Firearms Training along with training provided by Faster Saves Lives and Stop the Bleed Training,” Wyen said.
He said the team goes to the shooting range quarterly and requalifies annually through the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.
The team participates in annual training with Riverside Police as well, he said.
In Greene County, Bellbrook-Sugarcreek, Fairborn and Kirkmont Presbyterian Church/Preschool are registered with the OSCC.
Bellbrook’s school board voted to allow their version of an armed response team in 2022.
“Since that time, the board has authorized several members of the staff to have access to firearms in case of an active threat situation,” said Henry Conte, spokesman for Bellbrook.
Teachers are given access to the guns, which are kept in secure locations, in emergencies, Conte said.
Butler County has one school, Madison Local, registered. Similarly, one private school in Warren County, Mars Hill Academy, is registered.
No schools are registered in Clark and Miami County.
What districts have opted in?
The local schools or districts that that have opted in with Ohio School Safety Center for arming school staffers are:
Butler County - Madison Local Schools
Clark County - none
Greene County - Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local School District, Fairborn City Schoolsl Kirkmont Presbyterian Church/ Preschool
Miami County - None
Montgomery County - East Dayton Christian School, Miami Valley Career Technology Center, St. Peter School, The Greater Dayton School, Mad River Local School District, New Lebanon Local School District
Preble County - Preble Shawnee Local Schools
Warren County - Mars Hill Academy
About the Author
