West Virginia’s Republican-controlled House of Delegates voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to allow teachers and other school staff who undergo training to carry guns in K-12 public schools.
The bill, which now heads to the Senate, would allow teachers, administrators and support personnel with concealed carry permits to volunteer to bring a firearm into school with the intention of using it to defend the school in case of an active shooter event. Designated a “school protection officer,” the staffer wouldn’t receive any additional compensation for doing so.
Supporters say not every school system in West Virginia can afford to hire a full-time school resource officer. This program would provide another option.
Before the vote, Republican Del. Dave Foggin of Wood County, a physics teacher, said he can’t think of anything worse than shooting someone in his classroom. But he said if that person came into his school trying to hurt his students, he would do it.
What does this “training” look like? Giving a gun to staff who are going to just point in the general direction and unload could very well catch kids and staff in friendly fire. Also law enforcement needs to be consistent that they are walking into a situation where friendly fire is a very real possibility.
I feel like this would just create more situations where cops are just waiting outside or in hallways afraid of where all the guns are.
If it’s anything like police training, I wouldn’t let my kid anywhere near a school with those teachers.
Still to be developed but it will take 24 hours of training to get and 8 hours per year to keep. You can read the bill here: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb4299 eng.htm&yr=2024&sesstype=RS&i=4299
At least on paper the topics to be covered look pretty thorough.