House bill could expand who carries firearms in schools

Anyone from the school janitor to the lunch monitor could become a school protection officer under a proposed Missouri House bill.
A law passed in 2018 allows for teachers or administrators to become designated school protection officers and carry a concealed firearm in schools. In order to be certified, the individual must complete 112 hours of training, along with an annual 18-hour refresher course.
Rep. Chris Dinkins, R-Annapolis, has proposed an expansion to this legislation that would allow any school personnel to become a school protection officer. This includes staff at the school in addition to the teachers and administration — counselors, janitors and others.
This bill gained first-round approval in the House on Wednesday.
Supporters of Dinkins' expansion to the law said this will help to prevent and stop violence in schools. But some, like Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, said it could simply increase the policing of children.
The bill does not limit the number of school protection officers in each school. So in theory, Nurrenbern said every staff member could decide to carry a concealed firearm in their school. While she acknowledged that this is unlikely, it is technically possible.
Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, asked the House to consider the hypocrisy of giving local control to schools over firearms and not on masking policies — but said he would probably end up supporting this legislation. In the same way the schools have to weigh the risks of having more guns with preventing gun violence, they also have to weigh wearing masks with the potential social and educational detriments.
As a school counselor, Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, said she believes that having a gun in a classroom disrupts a safe learning environment. Proudie explained to the House that though she is comfortable with guns and uses them herself, a classroom is not the right place for a firearm.
The process for becoming a school protection officer would remain the same. Staff members must write to the school superintendent with their requests to become an officer. They then must submit proof of a valid authorization to carry a concealed firearm, as well as a certificate for the completion of the training program.
Missouri School Boards' Association Center for Education offered support of the bill at a hearing, as did the Missouri Association of School Administrators.
The bill needs another vote from the House to move to the Senate. Funding for this bill would come from local school districts with no state funds allocated for this.
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