Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos might let school districts use a relatively new federal program as a funding source for buying guns.
DeVos is mulling the idea that school districts could purchase firearms and firearms training through a grant program in the Every Student Succeeds Act, the main federal education law. If she were to allow such a move, it would be her most controversial step yet to address school safety in the wake of two mass shootings in high schools this year. Such a move would also allow her to let local districts take the lead, in keeping with her support for a limited federal role in schools.
Education advocates are already pushing back hard on the idea. And arming teachers and other school staff is not broadly supported among teachers and other K-12 education leaders.