Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has said she has no authority to decide whether grant money can be used to arm teachers, and she left the matter to states. But a memo from her agency’s legal counsel says “the Secretary has discretion” to interpret the statute governing the funds.
By Laura Meckler Laura Meckler Reporter covering national education policy and trends, and the Education Department Email Bio Follow April 10 at 6:57 PM Education Secretary Betsy DeVos refused to say yes — or no — when asked last year whether schools could use federal money to buy guns for teachers. She said the law was vague and she couldn’t take a side.On Wednesday, House Democrats released an internal Education Department memo that showed the matter was viewed differently inside the agency.
The question of arming teachers has proved emotional following deadly school shootings. Many Democrats, teachers unions, education groups and gun-control activists say weapons in classrooms will make schools more dangerous, not safer. But President Trump and gun rights supporters argue that arming teachers would “harden” schools, making them less likely targets for shootings.
“You have the authority, if you so choose. Read the memo,” Hayes replied. “I would like to submit these documents for the record so that the secretary has the ability to read the memo that came from her office.”After the hearing, DeVos spokeswoman Liz Hill did not dispute the authenticity of the document but said it was a not a “decision memo” for the secretary.
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