The Columbia School Board voted unanimously to approve an updated weapons policy at its regular meeting Monday night.
The changes clarify what weapons are prohibited by the district and what consequences students face for bringing different types of weapons to school. The new policy reflects requirements made by the Missouri School Board Association in accordance with Senate Bill 68, which passed in 2025.
Columbia Public Schools' policy already prohibited weapons listed under state law, including:
- Firearms, concealable firearms, firearm silencers, machine guns, rifles, shotguns, spring guns, gas guns
- Blackjacks
- Explosive weapons
- Knuckles
- Projectile weapons
- Knives, switchblade knives
The Missouri Safe Schools Act now requires districts to have a policy stating that students in possession of these specific weapons will be suspended for at least one year or expelled. This specific consequence was already part of CPS's weapons policy.
Any students possessing these specific weapons will also be reported to law enforcement, under the updated policy.
Another addition to the policy now also lists "other prohibited weapons" that fall under any of the following categories:
- Dangerous weapons including instruments that are used for or are readily capable of causing death or serious injury
- All knives, including pocketknives
- Any instrument or device that can be used to threaten or assault, whether for attack or defense
- Any object designed to look like or imitate a weapon, unless specifically authorized by a principal for an educational purpose
- Ammunition or components of a prohibited weapon
Students who bring any of these "other prohibited weapons" will face disciplinary action and may be reported to law enforcement, according to the updated policy.
These "other prohibited weapons" do not all directly fall under the definition of a weapon under the Missouri Safe Schools Act. Examples of these weapons include chemical mace, pepper spray, stun guns, paintball guns and modified toy guns, according to the Missouri School Board Association.
The final addition to the district's new weapons policy deals directly with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Under Senate Bill 68, all school safety incidents and credible safety threats involving a firearm, explosive, knife or other weapon, must be reported to DESE.
The updated policy was not explicitly discussed at Monday night's meeting. The Board of Education voted on the weapons policy as a part of a grouped vote, approving five policy recommendations at once.