An eastern Kentucky high school is working to formalize a program that will allow teachers to begin carrying guns in school.
Under the proposals teachers with the proper certifications will be entitled to carry weapons.
Florida legislators have also approved a school marshal program that will allow teachers to be armed. Both states have this year had to deal with school shootings.
Police were seen leading a teen, believed to be the 15-year-old shooter, away in handcuffs after he opened fire on classmates at Marshall County High School in Kentucky last month
At least two people were killed and 17 others were injured after the 15-year-old male student opened fire at Marshall County High School in Caldwell
Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz is accused of mass murder at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on 14 February
Cruz cold have exacted a far deadlier toll at the school had he not stopped when he did, a law enforcement official told CNN. The official said Cruz had etched swastikas into the side of the magazines that contained the left over ammunition
President Donald Trump is a strong supporter of the armed teachers idea – on Saturday he tweeted that it would be an ‘inexpensive deterrent’ compared to paying for more security guards.
The president promised yearly bonuses to those who kept weapons in their classroom. He wants as many as 20 percent of teachers with concealed-and-carry permits, promising that educators who chose to have weapons in their classroom would receive a ‘yearly bonus’.
Neither Trump nor the White House has said who would pay to train them, but the decision would be ‘up to states’.
‘Armed Educators (and trusted people who work within a school) love our students and will protect them, the president said.
‘Very smart people. Must be firearms adept & have annual training. Should get year bonus.
‘Shootings will not happen again – a big & very inexpensive deterrent.’
The president said it was now ‘up to states’ to decide if they wanted to do anything about armed attacks on schools.
In January two people were killed and 17 injured in a high school shooting in the town of Benton, Kentucky. a 15-year-old male student was arrested.
An attack last week on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida resulted in the deaths of at least in 17 people.
Reports from Kentucky say that Pike County Central High School is working with the County Sheriff to formalize a program that will allow teachers to carry weapons inside schools. The plan is expected to be opposed by The plan is expected to attract some opposition, Lex18.com reported, because no schools in the state currently allow teachers to carry weapons.
Likewise the The House and Senate Appropriations Committees in Florida voted to approve bills that create a new program to arm teachers in classrooms, the Washington Post reported.
The House bill creates a ‘school marshal’ program that would cost $67 million, most of it to be used for training, and would allow teachers to carry weapons in districts where officials say there is a risk of attack.
The proposed legislation also put new limits on gun purchases; it imposes a three-day waiting period and raises the age for anyone to buy a gun from 18 to 21.
In addition it provides $400 million – among other things – to put school resource officers in every public school and shore up mental-health counselling.