Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller said school district employees did nothing wrong by attending a recent event to learn more about the military, then posing for a photo wearing flak jackets and holding a gun.

The photo was briefly posted on the Ohio County Schools website before being removed amid sensitivities about recent school shootings.

Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones, Wheeling Park High School Principal Meredith Dailer, and WPHS counselor Jennifer Kucera-Short were among educators in the state attending the National Guard Educator Lift Program last week at National Guard maintenance facilities in Morgantown. Educators had a chance to experience a ride in a Blackhawk helicopter and a military jeep, try on military gear, and lift weapons to learn their weight.

During the program, West Virginia Army National Guard Sgt. Andrea Gump – a local social media marketing specialist with West Virginia Army Recruiting and military career counselor at WPHS – snapped a photo of the threesome from Ohio County Schools.

That photo was later provided to the county, and briefly appeared on the school district Facebook page.

“They did nothing wrong,” Miller said of the employees. “They picked it (the weapon) up to see how heavy it was, and how difficult it might be to maneuver. It was an awesome opportunity for them to learn more about what opportunities our students have in the military, and what they might experience.

“The only reason we took it down is that some people may have seen it as insensitive,” Miller added. “We certainly do not want to upset people, but we did not take it down because we did something wrong.”

Miller stressed that Ohio County Schools does not want to promote weapons, but does support the military and the students who choose service as a career path.

“In no way is anyone in the school system trying to magnify weapons,” she continued. “But this is what many people do, and they protect our country. It was an opportunity to say our school system cares so much about our military that we sent administrative staff and a guidance counselor to learn more about what is expected of our students.

“We care about the choices the students want to make, and about getting a better understanding about what our students would experience in the military. I want people to know that we are not magnifying guns, but learning what our students are going to be embracing.”

Last week, Ohio County Schools hosted its first “Military Signing Day,” celebrating 14 students who had enlisted in various branches of the U.S. military.