House Bill 99 resurfaced after Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas fell victim to a mass shooting on May 24, 2022. The resurface and passing of the bill in Ohio on June 1 has brought a variety of opinions to light.

The bill allows for teachers to carry firearms around the building and in the classroom. It is up to the local boards of education in Ohio whether or not they will choose to enforce the bill. Teachers would receive up to 24 hours of firearm training.

“There are other things that they can use for protection and could be safer for kids,” freshmen Olivia Owens says.

A concern that has been expressed is worry that an incident could cause a staff member to fire out of anger, or in the case of a false alarm, potentially putting students in danger.

“I’d only really feel safe if teachers were trained to use a gun and they did a more thorough background [check] than they already do,” freshmen Chase Harris comments.
Others have expressed being in support of the bill, as they feel that it is necessary to be able to defend themself if a threat ever happens. They believe that if you are in a room where everyone is unarmed, there is a higher chance for someone to be harmed.

“I feel like it would be more safe, because then the staff could defend us,” freshmen Ezekiel Eckleberry suggests.

Some people believe that this bill should not be put into action because they are worried about a staff member or a student acting out. They believe that it is an unnecessary action and there are other ways to keep students and staff safe from an attacker.

“If I knew a teacher had a gun in the classroom I wouldn’t feel safe around them,” Owens comments.

There are some people who are unsure about the whole situation. It would be a big change and the environment would feel different with the bill being enforced.

“I mean I think it’s fair, but I’m not sure if I would feel safe,” freshmen Marilyn Mickey says.

With the option to have the bill enforced it is the hope that the safety of students and staff is in mind when making the decision.

“I think it would be a hard thing to push and make a norm and I think it would instill more fear at first though after a little more time I think it would be more common and feel safer,” freshmen Chase Harris suggests.