NARRATOR: Just one person spoke in support
of arming teachers, the legislative director of the
Buckeye Firearms Association.
I believe in giving our kids a fighting chance when the police
aren't in the room yet and seconds are going by,
that I'd rather my kids have the chance someone will protect
them than to be sitting ducks like we saw
this past week in that tragedy.
NARRATOR: After that, it was a parade of teachers, parents,
and Union leaders who say more guns in school
is not the answer to the problem.
Instead, we are shifting the narrative
to talk about good guys with guns and bad guys with guns.
NARRATOR: Shari Obrenski with the Ohio Federation of Teachers
says teachers are more than willing to defend
their students, but they didn't sign up
to be law enforcement officers.
Teachers shielded those children with their bodies.
We are willing to do that.
We do that every day.
We do not want to have to determine
whether or not we shoot one of our kids who has a gun.
NARRATOR: The bill would Institute 24 hours of training
for teachers.
That's more training than for the soon to be obsolete conceal
and carry law but much less than for police officers, which
is the standard the Ohio Supreme Court recently
said for teachers to carry.
I talked to Eric Delbert, a law enforcement
officer and an instructor at a local firearms store.
He's in favor of armed teachers but says
700 hours of police training is more than necessary.
ERIC DELBERT: The highest minimum number of hours
is a good standard to get that up as much as possible.
Obviously, 700 hours was way above and beyond.
But I think 20 is a good start.