To our New Richmond Community:
You may have noticed new signage on campus referring to the arming of staff members throughout the district. The installation of these signs, like the one shown to the right, during the holiday break is the culmination of a years-long process with an overall end goal of making our campus, and by extension our staff and students, safer. | |
Background
In June 2022, shortly after the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a law allowing districts throughout the state to arm staff members.
The New Richmond Exempted Village School District Board of Education began debating the possibility of arming staff members in the district one month later, in July of 2022.
In the midst of that discussion, separate surveys were sent out to members of the community: one to staff members and another to families in the district.
Of 230 staff members surveyed, 44.35 percent (102 total) were in favor of allowing staff to carry guns after proper training. Ninety-seven staff members (42.17 percent) were against the policy with 13.48 percent (31 staff members) unsure.
The results among the community were clearer. A total of 514 respondents (64.09 percent of those polled) overwhelmingly answered ‘Yes’ to the question asking if staff members should be allowed to carry guns on school property after proper training.
Only 26.68 percent (214) said no.
Nonetheless, the topic was tabled at the time due to a lack of regulations and guidance from the state of Ohio.
That guidance came late in December, 2022. More on the state requirements will be addressed in the “Qualifications” section of this page.
The policy was officially adopted by New Richmond Exempted Village Schools after a second reading in March of 2023.
For the next six months, after close collaboration with members of the NREVSD administration, legal council and first responders throughout our community, a set of administrative guidelines were presented to the board of education for approval.
These guidelines were presented to the public at the September 2023 Board of Education meeting. As guidelines, they are not necessarily subject to board approval, but the district felt it was best to be as transparent as possible with our community.