As a new law slashing the amount of training needed to arm Ohio teachers goes into effect, the Democratic candidate for governor is criticizing incumbent Republican Mike DeWine for signing it into law.
DeWine's Democratic opponent Nan Whaley said that law, which allowed armed teachers and staff but doesn’t require them, is the wrong idea to stop school shootings.
House Bill 99 sets the maximum required training at 24 hours plus eight annual hours of scenario-based training. School districts would be permitted to require more training.
"This week, one of the most dangerous laws signed by Mike DeWine goes into effect," said Whaley, who is backed by the state’s largest teachers union, the Ohio Education Association.
The OEA opposed allowing armed personnel in schools with 24 hours of training. Before the law, people who wanted to go armed in schools had to complete more than 700 hours of training.
So far, fewer than a dozen of the state’s more than 600 school districts have allowed armed personnel in schools or are considering it.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety said school districts don't need to inform the Ohio Department of Education if they approve allowing armed staff. But a district must notify the Ohio School Safety Center of the qualified personnel who have completed training and can be armed in schools. But House Bill 99 states that list is not a public record.
Whaley noted DeWine talked about more school security and mental health help after the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas in May.
“But instead of pursuing commonsense policies that will keep our kids safe, he did the opposite," Whaley said. "He signed HB 99, that will put more guns with less training into our schools, making our kids, our educators and our communities less safe. For Mike DeWine, public safety is just a campaign talking point," Whaley added.
DeWine’s campaign spokesperson disputes that, and asked in an emailed statement if Whaley supports repealing the $6 million for expanding the Ohio School Safety Center, which develops and delivers safety training for school personnel and works with schools on resources for emotional, physical and cyber safety. And the spokesperson noted allowing armed personnel is a choice for districts, not a requirement.
DeWine's campaign spokesperson said in that statement: "School safety is a serious topic, and we should have honest dialogue--Mayor Whaley spreading falsehoods is unhelpful to the public and counterproductive to reaching solutions for student safety. Unlike Mayor Whaley, Governor DeWine understands that a one-size-fits-all solution doesn't work in a state that is as diverse as Ohio. Governor DeWine is offering funding and assistance to every school while allowing communities to determine what options best meet their individual needs."
Whaley also said she wants to "roll back" this law, as well as the so-called "Stand Your Ground" law and the permitless concealed carry law, which was also signed this year.
She also said she wants to pass universal background checks, which polls shows are widely supported by a majority of Ohioans. But it's unclear how these things could happen if Republicans once again win supermajorities in the Ohio House and Senate, which seems likely.
Whaley said the maps that Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission approved - which were ruled unconstitutionally gerrymandered by the Ohio Supreme Court but are still being used for this election because of a federal court order - "created an illegitimate state legislature".
If Whaley is elected, she said she would take DeWine's place on that panel and "draw fair districts, and we will get commonsense solutions to issues like gun safety." But to control the redistricting process next year, Democrats would also have to win either the race for Auditor or Secretary of State as well, since they're both on that panel, which only has two of seven seats guaranteed for the minority party.
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