Betsy DeVos arming teachers

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People really dislike Betsy DeVos’ new plan to arm teachers

A lot of people were unhappy.

 

Andrew Wyrich

Tech

Posted on Aug 23, 2018   Updated on May 21, 2021, 8:05 am CDT

The Education Department, under the leadership of Secretary Betsy DeVos, is reportedly considering the idea of using federal funds as a way to arm teachers—an idea President Donald Trump has brought up in the wake of several school shootings that have happened in the last year.

The New York Times reports the department is looking at using the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants program, which unlike other sources of money, does not bar the ability for the government to arm teachers or school districts.

The program is meant to be used for educational opportunities in poorer school districts, according to the Times, but could allow DeVos to approve any district that wants to arm teachers, as the president has suggested on numerous occasions.

Arming educators has been an idea fought since the moment it was floated by the president, after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead.

The news of the Education Department considering using federal funds to do so was met with resistance online, including among elected officials or candidates for office.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a candidate to represent a segment of New York City in Congress, quickly denounced the idea.

“94% of teachers spend out-of-pocket money for their classrooms. The fact that we can find money for guns in schools, but not enough for new books and supplies, tells you that this is an investment in the school-to-prison pipeline,” Cortez wrote.

Ocasio2018/Twitter

Others had similar sentiments, including a number of elected officials.

Even a Parkland victim’s father pressed back against the idea.

“The NRA spent $30,000,000 to elect Trump. Betsy DeVos is using the murder of my daughter to justify a return on that investment. November cannot come soon enough. #OrangeWaveInNovember,” Fred Guttenberg wrote.

You can read all of the New York Times report here.

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*First Published: Aug 23, 2018, 3:14 pm CDT