PARMA, Ohio — The Parma City Schools Board of Education understands school safety has been a big concern for students, parents and staff due to school shootings and other violent acts in districts across the country. That’s why the board recently passed a resolution to allow selected staff members to carry a firearm.
The board says it hopes this plan of action will be one more tool in keeping schools safe, yet others disagree.
“No, no,” said Donna, who’s a Parma City Schools family member. “Teachers go to school to learn to teach children and to manage the classroom. Carrying guns is for policemen.”
Families in the Parma City Schools District are weighing in after learning the Board of Education recently passed a new resolution to allow select staff members to carry a firearm.
“There’s too much going on in the schools that the teachers have to manage without having to worry about where their gun is, when to use it, and in what situations to use it,” said Donna.
School Board President Steven Vaughn says the decision comes after the state gave schools more freedom to arm staff members against intruders entering the building.
Since then, he says they have seen more school shootings and other violent acts in districts across the country.
That’s why he says the board is now taking action.
At last week's meeting, Superintendent Charles Smialek said the district has been working closely with the Parma Police Department to make sure staff who wish to carry receive training similar to the city’s police officers.
Smialek added the district will not publicly identify the staff who will carry a firearm, nor will they force anyone to be armed either.
“We know that various unions have come out in strong language against the arming of various union members, and so this is not anything where someone who doesn’t want to be armed, all of a sudden has to make that decision or lose their job,” said Parma City Schools Superintendent Charles Smialek.
While Donna disapproves of the board’s decision, Angela Revay, who is a high school parent in the district, told News 5 the following:
“There are so many ways that intruders seem to keep entering buildings, some even coming in as familiar faces that are assumed to be trusted. In my opinion, the fact that the Parma City Schools will allow certain staff members to carry a gun gives me some piece of mind that we are being proactive in adding one more level of opportunity for rapid response. History has shown us that when an intruder is identified in a building, every second is critical in the response effort. Our Parma City School staff members are already put through a BCI check to work in the district. Those chosen will be fully trained through our partnerships with the Parma Police Department and other outside agencies, and I am sure the district will lean on those agencies to assist with putting protocols in place. Therefore, I support any effort to make sure that my student and all of the students return home each day unharmed.”
Vaughn says the board still holds final discretion in deciding who will be allowed to carry a firearm on school premises.
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