Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced on Friday that she would not stand in the way of states that want to use federal grants to purchase guns for schools, emphasizing that it’s a decision for local officials to make.
“I have no intention of taking any action concerning the purchase of firearms or firearms training for school staff under the [Elementary and Secondary Education Act],” DeVos said in a letter to Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the House education committee.
DeVos' letter comes as Democrats and some education groups had asked the Trump administration not to allow federal education grants to be used for firearms after The New York Times first reported last week that the Education Department was considering the issue.
Education Department officials said that they believe that states and school districts already have the flexibility to purchase firearms using federal education grants.
States and school districts have “substantial flexibility” in deciding how they spend the money under the more than $1 billion Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants program, DeVos said in her letter.
“I have no intention of taking any action concerning the purchase of firearms or firearms training for school staff under the [Elementary and Secondary Education Act],” DeVos said in a letter to Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the House education committee.
DeVos' letter comes as Democrats and some education groups had asked the Trump administration not to allow federal education grants to be used for firearms after The New York Times first reported last week that the Education Department was considering the issue.
Education Department officials said that they believe that states and school districts already have the flexibility to purchase firearms using federal education grants.
States and school districts have “substantial flexibility” in deciding how they spend the money under the more than $1 billion Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants program, DeVos said in her letter.
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