South Carolina – Legislators in South Carolina are about to address a controversial new issue that would affect public school policies on safety measures. Dubbed Bill S. 115, the proposed law would empower school boards to name some staff members armed “school guardians.” This program is meant to improve security in light of continuous concerns about active shooter threats.
Empowering schools with security choices
The South Carolina Senate is scheduled to discuss the bill when it reconvenes on January 14th. Should it be approved, the law would open doors for educational institutions to implement the program beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. Before choosing whether to apply the legislation, every school board would have to conduct public hearings so that local communities may express their opinions in the process of decision-making.
Under the proposed legislation, a few chosen members of the school personnel would be allowed to keep weapons on campus in safe-access only during an emergency. These people would become “school guardians,” combining their regular work obligations with a new mission to handle potential dangers.
Addressing law enforcement challenges
Among the bill’s cosponsors are Berkeley and Charleston counties’ senator Brian Adams. He underlined that this initiative is driven by growing safety issues among parents and law enforcement officials. Speaking with WCSC, Adams pointed out that maintaining a school resource officer at every institution is difficult since law enforcement departments are becoming strained.
“The first place they pull from in most large departments is specialized units, whether its detectives, narcotics, traffic or school resource officers,” Adams said. This strain has left gaps in school security, prompting legislators to explore alternative solutions.
Stringent requirements for school guardians
Employees would have to satisfy various rigorous requirements to be eligible for the school guardian title. Candidates must have a current concealed weapons permit and finish specific training at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. The Law Enforcement Training Council would supervise this training to guarantee a high degree of readiness…