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Beachwood City Schools to not arm teachers and employees despite Ohio’s new law

In a unanimous vote, the Beachwood City Schools Board of Education passed a resolution preventing non-security employees to be armed on school grounds.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on June 13, 2022, when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 99. 

The Beachwood City Schools Board of Education passed a unanimous vote to prohibit teachers and non-security employees from being armed on school grounds.

The decision, which came Tuesday, arrived nearly two weeks after Ohio passed House Bill 99, which allows teachers and school employees to carry firearms on school grounds as long as they have 24 hours of instruction and eight hours of annual training. 

RELATED: 'It is optional': Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine sends letter to superintendents statewide after signing bill that permits school employees to carry guns

The resolution was passed to stick with Beachwood City School’s current policy of only having police officers armed on their school’s grounds. 

During the board of education meeting, many members voiced their support for this decision.

“I’m really proud of our district for once again standing up for our Beachwood families and supporting the health, safety and well-being of our staff, students, families and community," said board member Wendy Leatherberry. “Teachers carry a lot on their plates already. I’m really proud that we will not be asking them to carry this burden too.”

Currently, Beachwood Federation of Teachers President Pam Ogilvy is getting feedback from the teacher's union in regards to a formal position on the district keeping a gun-free school atmosphere.

“When many of us made the choice to pursue a career in public education, the notion that we would be expected to literally arm ourselves in defense of students was the farthest thing from our minds,” Ogilvy said. “It’s a sobering thought that young people who are considering a life in education now have to factor that into their decision-making process.”

Beachwood joins other school districts in Northeast Ohio, such as Akron Public Schools and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, which are also prohibiting teachers from carrying guns. 

RELATED: Northeast Ohio school districts react to new law allowing teachers to carry firearms in classrooms

 

 

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