<p>Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is reportedly considering a proposal that would ;allow states to use federal funds to buy weapons and conduct training classes in ;situations ;where schools vote to allow personnel to carry guns. ;</p>
<p>The policy would overturn a longstanding rule that prevents states from using federal funds to pay for weapons in schools. ;</p>
<p>Sec. DeVos could approve grant funding for firearms using a loophole in the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program &#8211; a federal education law designed to increase students&rsquo; access to education, bolster digital literacy, and improve conditions for learning. The law does not explicitly prohibit weapons purchases. ;</p>
<p>Congress could block DeVos from approving the plan, but lawmakers would have to clarify the language of the Student Support Program or pass new legislation. ;</p>
<p>The question of whether to arm America&#8217;s educators has been a hot topic since February, when a single ;gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, FL.</p>
<p>Following the tragedy, Presient Trump ;expressed his support for arming school personnel and for raising the minimum age to purchase a gun to 21. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Armed educators&hellip;love our students and will protect them,&rdquo; tweeted Trump. &ldquo;Must be firearms adept &; have annual training. Should get yearly bonus. Shootings will not happen again &#8211; a big &; very inexpensive deterrent. Up to states.&#8221; ;</p>
<p>DeVos has expressed similar opinions, noting that firearms should only be an option for &ldquo;capable&rdquo; teachers and personnel. In March, she unveiled a federal commission to study whether a ban on gun sales to people under 21 would make a difference in terms of school safety. ;</p>
<p>News of DeVos&rsquo;s plan, which originated in a<em> New York Times</em> report, prompted backlash from teachers&#8217; associations and gun control advocates who insist that arming teachers would make schools ;more dangerous. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Betsy DeVos wants to turn schools into armed fortresses and make kids and educators less safe,&rdquo; complains Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers. And she &ldquo;wants to turn the US government into an arms dealer for schools. That&rsquo;s insane.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Gabrielle Giffords, a former Representative for the state of Arizona who was injured during a school shooting in 2011, ;agrees that arming teachers would put children in more danger. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Arming teachers is not a solution,&rdquo; tweeted Giffords. &ldquo;We can forge a better path. It&rsquo;s time for Americans to find the courage to fight for our own safety.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Department of Education officials have pushed back against the claim that DeVos is considering using the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program to arm teachers.</p>
<p>When asked for comments, a Department spokesperson explained that the agency is &ldquo;constantly considering and evaluating policy issues &#8211; particularly issues related to school safety. The secretary nor the department issues opinions on hypothetical scenarios.&rdquo; ;</p>