DeVos mulls using funds to arm teachers
After school shooting, TEA sought approval of security upgrades through federal program
AUSTIN — The U.S. Department of Education may allow schools to use federal dollars to buy guns for educators, a consideration that began when Texas officials asked if they could use a grant to arm teachers, according to news reports.
The New York Times first reported Wednesday that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is mulling the use of funds awarded to schools through the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program. The program was intended to give the country’s poorest schools resources for academic enrichment and other services such as counseling.
“The Department is constantly considering and evaluating policy issues, particularly issues related to school safety,” said Liz Hill, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education. “The Secretary nor the Department issues opinions on hypothetical scenarios.”
Security a school condition
The program has three goals: provide a well-rounded education, improve technology and improve school conditions. Texas has interpreted that last goal to include security upgrades at schools. In the wake of the Parkland, Fla. shooting in February, a school district asked the Texas Education Agency in March if schools could use the grants to purchase firearms, said Lauren Callahan, a spokeswoman with TEA.
A month later, the agency asked the federal education department for clarification regarding the use of the funds.
“Among the nine questions shared with USDE via email at that time was: ‘Many have asked due to the increased focus on school safety, will allowable purchases under safe and healthy students also include such things as guns, gun training/marshal training for school personnel, metal protectors, bullet proof entries, or other services associated with crisis management?” Callahan said.
In May, Gov. Greg Abbott released a 40-point plan to address school safety following the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School earlier that month. He asked TEA to prioritize using $62.1 million in new funding under the student support grant program for the hardening of schools, including adding metal detector or paying
Other options
The state already has two options — the guardian and school marshal programs — for arming teachers. As part of his safety plan, Abbott proposed expanding the school marshal program and offered to pay for all costs of training between June and August.
“TEA simply sought clarification on allowable uses of Title IV funding for school safety purposes,” Callahan said. “These were questions being presented to us by some of our school systems. To date, USDE has not provided us with a final answer on this specific issue.” for additional law enforcement. Abbott did not list buying guns with grant money as part of that proposal.