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Education

‘A Means to Protect’: Ohio School Board Votes Unanimously to Allow Custodial Staff to Carry Handguns

Jan. 11, 2013 4:17pm Jason Howerton

Credit: Getty Images

The Montpelier Exempted Village Schools Board of Education on Wednesday voted 5-0 to allow its custodial staff to carry handguns on school property.

The affirmative vote will allow four custodians to take handgun training and carry handguns at the K-12 campus at Williams County School. The School board had been considering arming employees for nearly six months but first announced the plans during Wednesday’s meeting.

School officials say having armed personnel on campus will help prevent incidents like the tragic shooting in Newtown, Conn. in December. The school system is believed to be the first in Ohio to allow staff to be armed.

The school district will reportedly pay for a two-day training class March for the employees. Instructors with the Tactical Defense Institute of West Union, Ohio, will give them a defense class on handgun use in Montpelier.

“Sitting back and doing nothing and hoping it doesn’t happen to you is just not good policy anymore,” Superintendent Jamie Grime told The Toledo Blade. “There is a need for schools to beef up their security measures…Having guns in the hands of the right people are not a hindrance. They are a means to protect.”

School board President Larry Martin said the Sandy Hook massacre, in which 20 children and six staff were killed, expedited the school board’s decision to arm its staff.

“Our main goal is to offer safety for our students while they are in the classrooms and in the building,” he said. “We have to do something and this seems like the most logical, reasonable course to go with.”

“Mr. Grime said their legal counsel advised that Ohio’s gun law allows for school boards to authorize employees to possess weapons on school grounds if they pass the requirements of the concealed-carry law,” The Blade reports.

(H/T: Gawker)

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Comments (93)

THX-1138
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:02pm
It just got a little Safer to be a Child in Ohio.

This is very good news.

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- Walkabout
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:29pm
  Yes & no. The general public (even the low information voters) knows that schools are not the soft target they once were. There will not be as many people among the public taking their anger out on society by targeting a school. People who are bullied I think won’t care. They will still try to harm people in school. They will try to get their tormentors pout of preference, but I think they’ll go for anyone if they can’t get their 1st choice.
  
  On the down side someone will forget their firearm at the office or at the bathroom. It would be best if they had separate facilities to use. That way it is likely only another teacher could get the gun.
  
  Also they should register their guns voluntarily (only the one they bring to school & for their own protection in case it is lost/stolen) & report them if they go missing. Some will I would be somewhere south of 10% of the teachers would take a unattended gun Rather than turning it in. Some just to have one off the books & others because they want to show the gun nuts” (hypocritical I know but some would do that).
  
  Report this comment
- steve-o-con
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:44pm
  @Walkabout
  I carry concealed and I’ve never once taken my gun out of its holster in the bathroom much less forgotten left it there. If you wear the gun in a holster on your person, this should not be an issue so… not sure what you’re talking about there…
  
  Report this comment
- fastfacts
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:11pm
  Judge Napolitano said it best. ( http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2013/jan/napolitano_obama_agenda.html )The Democrats gun ban is in order to go beyond. They will not stop with the “assault” weapons until they take the power away from the people. The gun has kept the people in charge in every society and when you take it away , the power is sent to the government and they are empowered.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:57pm
  EEK!..
  
  I don’t know what it’s like in Ohio but this wouldn’t have helped in Newtown.
  When i was in Newtown’s public school system, most of our custodians bordered on Down Syndrome.
  Administrators watched them closely and they were punished for engaging with students in any unsupervised way.
  
  Report this comment
- DarkJello
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 7:10pm
  EastInfection:
  
  Back in my HS days, I remember custodians that were competent. Obviously not just anyone will even want to wield a gun. But if they pass all reasonable criteria, I say why not. It is cool that this Ohio school is finding proactive paths to get after this matter. Cheers.
  
  Life is dangerous. Aint no guarantee. But this tilts the balance back a tad.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 7:39pm
  DARKJELLO..
  
  if Custodians are capable, i have no problem with it. I embrace it, actually.
  
  But… like i said.. Newtown’s custodians were mentally disabled when i was there. That’s not an exaggeration- They literally had a program that filled schools with mentally challenged janitors. Fairfield Hills Mental Hospital was in Newtown at the time and it was one of the hugest Mental Hospitals in the U.S… They screened patients there and put the ones that posed no threat to kids in schools to work. It was actually a successful, admirable program.
  That being said, …it’s all i know of public school Janitors, and they certainly weren’t trustworthy of handling firearms.
  Maybe some places are different?
  The janitors in my High School were no better because it was a Jesuit School and all the custodians were the the students that got caught smoking on campus… AKA: myself & co… ;)
  
  Report this comment
- Magyar
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 8:30pm
  My worry is this— If in an effort to shoot a gunman in a school, he/she misses and kills a child, all the cards are back on the table…..
  
  Report this comment
- donkeykong
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 2:52am
  Eastinfection –
  You’re missing one point here – we have to
  STOP hiring ex-felons, perverts, and other
  undesirables to work in our schools. Those
  entrusted to protect our children should be
  completely backgrounded. The days of hiring
  those types of people to work amongst our
  children should be OVER, armed or not.
  History is rife with too many examples of how
  this does NOT work.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 8:18am
  DONKEY KONG…
  
  The people that worked as Custodians in our schools weren’t any of those things.
  For lack of a better word, -they were retarded.
  Big difference.
  
  Report this comment
- donttreadonryan
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 12:21pm
  I think too much emphasis is being placed on the word custodian. Many on this forum believe they are talking about janitors. I could he wrong and if I am I apologize. That said I believe the word custodian in this article is pertaining to the custodian of a weapon. For example the principle would be one of four carrying custodians on staff. Non the less I wish the responsible adults at my kids school would take action to arm themselves. Probably never in happen in western Washington though.
  
  Report this comment
- davecorkery
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 12:38pm
  Wrong. Who says the custodians MUST use them to protect the kids? What is to stop them from running away at the first sign of danger? You have no idea of the side issues.They were hired to clean the floors, not get involved in shoot outs. Get your head out of your *** and wake up.
  
  Report this comment
- donttreadonryan
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 1:23pm
  Really? Name calling with an emotional response is a good tactic if you are five. Grow up and stop being over emotional. I carry everywhere unless I see a gun free zone. Then I wont go there. I certainly won’t take my family to these places(with the exception of school). SEVERAL parents of Newtown denounced the NRA for saying armed security at every school yet they are requesting. police stay longer than the first week back to school for safety and security. Why are they requesting the very thing they were denouncing. That’s right their kids safety. When not politicized and when it gets to it we want our kids safe from unlawful irresponsible sick individuals. Note the non emotion with lack of name calling.
  
  Report this comment
- 00100111
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 7:10pm
  Good for them. That school will be safer.
  
  Report this comment
- Thomas
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 7:33pm
  @walkabout: At least the egotistical crazy people will be stopped short before they can kill many and the people at schools won’t be sitting ducks. A bullet in the head will solve all these selfish crazy people’s problem.
  
  Report this comment
- tajloc
  Posted on January 13, 2013 at 9:54am
  Dumb and dumber
  Duh lets give the gun to a guy with a uniform so the bad guy will know who to shoot first
  In loco parentis (sp) belongs to the teacher not the janitor,
  And don’t forget to not tell the student body who has the guns ‘cuz sometimes the shooter is the student
  
  Report this comment
Uechi
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:58pm
At least a glimmer of common sense.

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cdb
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:56pm
It’s a step in the correct direction, but it still would be better if the teachers were allowed to carry a concealed weapon with them at all times. The teachers are everywhere. Any idiot who wants to kill the children would not be able to find many places where a teacher was not present. If the idiot starts shooting, guns would be drawn and fired from all directions at them. Now that is what I call a deterrent.

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jcldwl
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:53pm
This is a good start but I remember my high school days and the janitors were always hiding in the basement. I think teachers should open carry in the class room. Not only are the children safer from the nutcases the liberal mentality creates. They would be learning a valuable lesson about our 2nd amendment.

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- THX-1138
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:08pm
  No open carry.
  
  1) It allows the Kids to see who has them and who doesn’t (unless you propose a mandatory carry for all teachers. Um, thanks NO…)
  
  2) It allows a much easier grab by a loony student (If three students jump a teacher can the teacher shoot them?)
  
  Nope, for me, big burly men with as much training as they’re willing to do, carrying concealed WITH a backup is the ideal for this environment (and Combat Pay for them as well!)
  
  Report this comment
- Metallicat
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:22pm
  I have seen teachers overpowered by students many times in my years in the public education system. a gun in every classroom is not a good idea. Only certain school administrators should carry,and who does should only be known to school administrators and law enforcement.
  
  Report this comment
- DougHuffman
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:35pm
  Look to the Wikipedia’s list of school incidences IIRC. There were quite a number of student on teacher violence, including lethal self-defense.
  
  Report this comment
- Truthbomb
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:21pm
  Doug your an idiot. Kids aren’t going to beat up a teacher take his gun and go on a shooting rampage. There are 1000 easier ways for kids to get a gun. Even if kids beat up their teachers and saw his gun I doubt they are going to kill him.
  
  Report this comment
- REALLYSERIOUSLY
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 3:51pm
  As a custodian and Head Custodian I really think that this is a great idea. When we have lock downs, and we have had numerous ones, we have to be in the halls making sure noone gets in and nobody is in the halls. The custodians on my team are NOT idiots or retarded. I have been known to help the kids with their work when the substitute teacher does not know the lesson. I am a custodian because I was an ISS teacher, considered and aide and recieved very little pay and make much more as the custodian and still get to visit my grandkids on holidays. We are on the front lines and are always there when the kids need us. I would get in the line of fire to save the students whom I love.
  
  Report this comment
klatoo
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:52pm
Those 20 dead children are proof that nature abhors a vacuum. Start packing if you want to protect your local community.

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Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:45pm
It’s only right that the dude/dudette gets to make the mess if he has to clean it up anyway.. A well thought out and politically correct policy.

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- Chet Hempstead
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 10:35pm
  That’s not how you spell Gandhi.
  
  Report this comment
DougHuffman
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:45pm
If a parent will trust their child to government education then trust in government security isn’t a big reach.

I wrote that sentence first with “government education camp”, but figured that too distracting.

Good people ought to be armed with wits and guns and the Truth. MOLON LABE

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Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:45pm
I might recommend practice proof complete with range log hours.
The police have an accuracy rate of 25%
Tasers would safer.
There were armed individuals at Columbine and they didn’t hit squat.

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- jcldwl
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:58pm
  You meet force with equal or greater force not lesser. Taser equals lesser. But hey why don’t you let someone start shooting at you with a gun while you hold a taser. Think you will win?
  
  Report this comment
- Tachy320
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 11:23am
  The thing that happened at Columbine with the the school resource officer was difficult to hear, being an officer at the time. I was an instructor at the time and it kicked our school resource officers in the butt. They got squares away. I don’t want to judge the officer who shot it out with the kid in the parking lot, but you HAVE to take care of him or you see what happens. The teachers or persons picked to carry should be interviewed and make sure they have the mindset to engage a shooter and win. As others have said they would need to train, train and train some more. JCLDWL is right Tasers are worthless against a gun.
  I might only do this in grade schools though because of the possible attack by an older student. Some others have suggested retired law enforcement and soldiers. I am not sure why there is such an aversion to letting soldiers carry weapons when they return home. We saw what happened at Ft. Hood. I just think all possibilities should be explored and implemented.
  
  Report this comment
P4cooler
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:43pm
See! Americans can take care of themselves without liberals pushing their laws into every facet of our lives. Feinstein….Nani Bloomberg… take a long hike and don’t come back!

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Obama_In_PeePee_Is_Becks_Art
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:40pm
“‘A Means to Protect’: Ohio School Board Votes Unanimously to Allow Custodial Staff to Carry Handguns”

Common sense Americans support the 2nd Amendment for their safety from crooks & tyrants.

Progressives(communists), Liberals, and the marxists of Washington DC are ripping their hair out by the roots in anger — THEY FAILED TO CONTROL THE ARGUMENT!!

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2AmendmentDefender
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:39pm
Hey guys:

I for one am sick of seeing our 2nd Amendment RIGHT attacked from every angle. Wanted to pass something along with a hope that you would join this effort from Patriot Post:

“Patriots, I call on you to pledge: ‘We, the People, affirm that we will support and defend Liberty as “endowed by our Creator,” enshrined in our Constitution and empowered by its Second Amendment, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

Essay: http://patriotpost.us/alexander/16224

Sign here: http://patriotpost.us/archives/petitions/21#sign

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AxelPhantom
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:39pm
While in my opinion, David Dewhurst is not exactly a golden boy, he is putting forth a decent proposal here in Texas.

State funding, non-mandatory participation left to the individual school districts to decide, extended training, decision on who is armed left to the schools…I think something close to this might pass this State session.

.http://www.ksat.com/news/Dewhurst-calls-for-gun-training-for-teachers/-/478452/18099706/-/view/print/-/lc0uju/-/index.html

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honor007
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:38pm
This is absolutely awesome. What is more awesome is my Mother lives in West Union and I think I may have to go and take a class or two. Time for my girls to visit Grandma for a different experience!!!

@Ghost of Jefferson, I live in the burbs of Dayton. This is awesome news and Springfield and Springboro are following suit here also!!!

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Bobby D
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:37pm
Another day of gun control BS. It is an impossible task. Focus on the prosecution of the shooters,and the persecution of the responsible gun owners. No EO trumps the Const. or public law. Furthermore, if the Fed. attempted to do such a thing, anyone who followed orders leaves themselves at risk and too their family and property too. This has been ranted on every medium known, and still the regime wags its sorry tongue as if it make any difference. As I always say, “America is such a toilet, only God can clean up the mess.

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Metallicat
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:37pm
Hire unemployed veterans who already have plenty training with weapons and patrolling areas. Or are they all disqualified as suffering from PTSD? a regular uniformed armed guard will deter many would be criminals. Just like keeping a big dog in the yard deters trespassers.

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- Diane TX
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:52pm
  Any kind of dog is a deterrent, as long as it barks when someone who smells different comes near your house. I have two chihuahuas who never fail to bark when someone comes close to my house.
  
  Report this comment
- Wisdom7
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 12:55am
  You can step on a chihuahua. I think he means a dog that will do some damage.
  
  Report this comment
silenthell
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:32pm
that’s freaking awesome…

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Steelhead
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:30pm
it is my hope that proper screening will be given and I hope they don’t make it mandatory.

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- civilwarcometh
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:35pm
  Like health care?
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:37pm
  Why not? They make everything else mandatory! [sarc]
  
  Report this comment
- TSUNAMI_22
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:57pm
  Steelhead
  
  it is my hope that proper screening will be given and I hope they don’t make it mandatory.
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Why? Planning on something that it might thwart?
  
  Tsunami = 4
  Steelhead = 0
  
  Report this comment
- AxelPhantom
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:26pm
  Tsunami and others,
  
  Mandating anything takes both the responsibility and control further away from the people most affected. If some liberal school doesn’t believe that this makes them safer then let them opt out, but be sure that they are aware of the consequences of their decision and their willingness to accept responsibility for said decision.
  
  If you happen to live in one of those opt out districts and you adamantly believe that it will make your school a target then organize and convince them or look for an alternative school for your kids.
  
  Just like how well an edict coming from the all-knowing and Powerful Feds government works, it is best when handled at the smallest scope possible allowing citizens maximum input, freedom and influence.
  
  Report this comment
GodNGunsPatriot
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:29pm
Outstanding!! I hope schools in Texas will implement similar measures.

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The-Monk
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:29pm
The Custodial Staff is for cleaning up, right?

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- SolitudeBliss
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:00pm
  New name: The Cleaners :-)
  
  Report this comment
Cavallo
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:29pm
Bravo! The Department of Education will try and muscle its way in on this.

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:27pm
What is this? After so many years is commons sense starting to prevail? One less come and kill all zone? Still sounds rather confusing when a school related committee sounds it out.

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- Steelhead
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:32pm
  a whole two days of training how reassuring
  
  Report this comment
- AvengerK
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:33pm
  RJJING…John Kasich is governor. He’s been whipping Ohio into shape for a while now.
  
  Report this comment
- zebra20zebra20
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:39pm
  More than a LEO gets in training! Most Law Enforcement Officers are only required to be recert once or twice a year on the gun range!
  
  Report this comment
- booger71
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:43pm
  These training seminars are fairly intense, and you learn quite a bit. After all, they will not being doing room to room sweeps like Swat or the military. They will be there to put down a threat, and wait for the cops
  
  Report this comment
- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:25pm
  I am surprised it happened in that area, though I might be generalizing all of northern Ohio. I, for one, am glad to hear people making rational decisions.
  
  Report this comment
civilwarcometh
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:26pm
All the custodian’s at school’s around here are illegal mexican’s. So now who do you arm?

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- THX-1138
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:11pm
  Eric Holder already armed your custodians. They probably have better weapons than we can get!
  
  Report this comment
IndyGuy
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:25pm
Right on…Let the bad guys know that your children are now off limits and if you dare to try to bring harm to them you will be shot…

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TSUNAMI_22
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:20pm
Good!

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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:19pm
Yep. And a school in Dayton at a school board meeting this week is discussing arming teachers and is getting great support.

It’s good to be first to do something good, state wise. :)

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- justangry
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:28pm
  I don’t expect Columbus to follow suit. Coleman is a gun grabber. I don’t know why we can’t get rid of him.
  
  Report this comment
- civilwarcometh
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:34pm
  Well having the police in the school’s would be racist to black’s.http://weaselzippers.us/2013/01/11/naacp-led-coalition-says-it-opposes-police-presence-at-schools-because-theyre-more-likely-to-arrest-black-students/
  
  Report this comment

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