COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Could arming teachers be the solution to keeping our students safe inside the classroom?
With the number of school shootings that have happened in the last decade, schools across the country have taken measures to try to keep students safe.
Sheriff Tim Rogers of Coshocton says teachers need to be able to protect themselves and the students – that’s why an Armed Staff Response Team exists.
Jennifer Nelson is a parent who says, “I think it’s great I just want the kids to be safe and as a parent, I feel much safer knowing my kids are protected by the teachers here in the school.”
Coshocton Schools Superintendent David Hire says the process began more than two and a half years ago and was implemented in the last year and a half, a collaborative effort with the Sheriff’s Office.
“We did a selection process, they went away to intense training they got their CCW’s we did a selection between them and us of the right teacher the right fit and we work with them on a constant basis,” said Sheriff Timothy Rogers,
Teachers volunteered to be a part of the program. They are armed in many of the county’s districts, but the sheriff’s office is not going to say how many or who.
“The district has the right to keep those teachers unknown to the students and to the other teachers and that’s the way we keep it we don’t advertise who those teachers are,” said Rogers
Student, Peyten Patterson adds, “I would feel safe with my teachers carrying a gun. Just because I have the trust in my teachers here. Like, I would be able to trust every single teacher that I have to have a gun to be able to protect me.”
Another student, Tucker Nelson says, “I think it’s good. I mean, I feel safe. I feel like it would be good if they could stop the gunman.”
Sheriff Rogers says the reasoning behind the program is pretty simple. It can take deputies more than 20 minutes to reach some of the schools in the district in an emergency.
Sheriff Rogers says it’s one of the most important jobs of the department to make sure the kids and community remain safe.