WASHINGTON, DC – Today, in response to reports that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is considering plans to allow school districts to use Title IV federal funds to purchase firearms for teachers, U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement:

“Every student deserves a safe and positive learning environment.  The proposal being floated by the Trump Administration is fundamentally flawed, would essentially cheat students, and make schools less safe.

“We have to keep our kids safe, but arming teachers is not the way to go.  The DeVos plan is outrageous.  It would take funds from things like art, music, school libraries, physical education, STEM education, and school counseling to essentially weaponize classrooms.

“Congress needs to make it absolutely clear to Secretary DeVos, on a bipartisan basis, that she doesn’t have the authority or support to take federal money from students and use it to arm teachers.”