Many students in Osceola County attended The Osceola County School Board meeting on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the new school safety law.

Earlier this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that expanded the Guardian Program, which allows trained teachers to have guns if school districts approve the idea. If districts opt-in, volunteer teachers and staff would have to complete required training through local law enforcement agencies. Many counties like Polk, Brevard, and Orange, have already rejected allowing teachers to be armed.

The Osceola County School Board made the unanimous 5-0 vote on Tuesday to not allow teachers to carry firearms in the classroom, after hearing from dozens of teachers, parents, and students voice their opinion. The decision was made after a Tuesday morning workshop meeting devoted to the topic along with more than an hour of discussion at a school board meeting later that day.

Many students from the local chapter of the March for Our Lives Club assembled and came to fight against the bill. Before the meeting, protesters presented signs that stated their opposition to arming teachers. Numerous concerned parents, teachers, and students spoke out against the proposal during the meeting and urged board members to focus on strengthening mental health resources instead, as well as providing equal protection to charter schools. Jenny Sanchez, who is the new president of OCSA’s March For Our Lives Club said, “There is too much room for error. An armed teacher doesn’t make anyone feel safer – it makes them scared. ”

The board came to the decision that they will not arm teachers or staff through the guardian program, but they will allow charter school boards to make their own decisions about arming teachers while encouraging them to continuing using school resource officers (SROs).

Molly Lavoive, the former president of OCSA’s March For Our Lives Club says, “I am extremely inspired by our community and grateful for how many people came out on Tuesday! We had over 60 sign ups. You guys did this! And a huge shoutout to my incredible team who made this all happen.”

To find out more about OCSA’s March For Our Lives Club and how you can get involved, please follow them on Instagram and Twitter @mfolocsa.