Lexington 1 board approves Be Smart gun-safety memorandum of understanding

The Lexington County School District 1 Board of Trustees on Tuesday authorized the superintendent to sign a memorandum of understanding with Be Smart, a national gun-safety education organization, to promote safe storage and awareness in the district.

Libby Ruth presented the request and summarized Be Smart's purpose: "Be Smart is all about encouraging gun safety. It doesn't get into, who should have a gun and who shouldn't. It is about keeping guns locked up in order to keep the guns out of the hands of our children," she said, noting that volunteers and local partners had distributed thousands of gun locks in the region and that the MOU is largely educational and ceremonial.

Ruth said the MOU would let the district use Be Smart materials in school handbooks and communications, and that volunteers and partner organizations, including law enforcement and Prisma Health, have helped distribute locks in prior years. She told the board the agreement is not a binding contract obligating district funding but is intended to coordinate awareness and a public signing event.

Trustees asked whether the MOU would require the district to adopt materials verbatim or create liability concerns; Ruth and staff said the MOU provides access to materials and local volunteers but does not bind the district to actions beyond its communications channels. The board voted by voice to authorize the superintendent to sign the MOU and to host a community signing event with volunteers and law enforcement in early 2025.

The motion passed by voice vote; no additional funding was approved as part of the MOU vote.