West Virginia House Approves Bill Allowing Trained Teachers to Carry Guns in Schools

Charleston — West Virginia, a new bill has been passed by the House of Delegates. This bill is about letting some teachers and school staff carry hidden guns. The idea is to keep schools safe. The bill, called House Bill 4299, was talked about a lot before it got passed with a big majority: 89 votes for and 11 against. Now, it will be considered by the state Senate.

House Bill 4299 is for teachers, school leaders, and other school workers in elementary and secondary schools. It lets them carry concealed firearms or other hidden weapons if they become school protection officers (SPOs). This is voluntary, meaning not all teachers have to do it. Only those who choose to and complete special training can carry weapons.

Del. Doug Smith, who helped make the bill, says this is to keep kids safe in case of a dangerous situation like a mass shooting. He said, “This bill does not want every teacher to carry a gun. It is about a program where teachers who agree to it get training on how to use guns safely and handle emergencies.”

Schools can pick certain teachers and staff to be SPOs. These people have to write to their county superintendents, showing they have a permit to carry concealed guns and have finished the needed training.

The bill also talks about how schools can take back someone’s SPO status and what training SPOs need. The government will give money to help pay for this training. If all school counties join, it will cost $275,000.

Many lawmakers who are Republicans supported the bill, saying it is necessary to protect children. Del. Rick Hillenbrand mentioned, “We wish the world was very safe, but there are dangers, and we need to protect our kids.”

However, all Democrats in the House did not agree with the bill. They were worried about the training being too short, that schools and parents were not asked for their opinions, and that parents and students might not know which teachers are carrying guns.

An important change to the bill was made by Del. Geoff Foster. It says if a teacher or staff member wants to be an SPO and meets all the rules, the school must let them, even if the school didn’t want to join the program before. Some people think this is good, but others worry it’s too much.

There was also a suggestion to give teachers a big bonus for becoming an SPO, but it did not pass. This idea was to give teachers extra money, but it was not accepted.

So, the bill is about giving schools a new way to keep kids safe. Some people think it’s a good idea, and others have concerns. Now, it will go to the Senate for more discussion.