A U.S. House spending panel is set to approve a 2020 funding bill On Wednesday which would block state and local governments from using federal education aid money to buy firearms for use by teachers, or to pay for weapons training of school personnel, moving to specifically order the Education Department to prevent such use of grants.
“The Committee notes there is no evidence to suggest that arming teachers would make schools safer,” Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee wrote in a report to accompany a 2019 education funding bill.
“Instead, there are serious concerns about the unintended consequences and negative impacts such a policy could have on the well-being and safety of students,” the language adds.
The bill would place the firearms restrictions on a proposed $1.32 billion in ‘Student Support and Academic Enrichment State Grants,’ specifically stating that “Congress never intended for SSAE funds to be used to purchase firearms or for firearms training in schools.”
The bill orders Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to issue official guidelines confirming that prohibition within 30 days.
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