Devos pitches federal grant to put guns in schools

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A proposal to use federal grant money to buy teachers guns is getting mixed reviews in Orange County

As Education Secretary Betsy DeVos considers allowing states to use federal grant money to purchase weapons through a loophole, the Orange County Teachers Union president says it's a bad plan.

"There's a lot of things we should use money on for our public schools, but certainly not guns or weapons," says Wendy Doromal.

Doromal adds that money is already needed for teacher salaries as well as supplies.

"Teachers do not want to be armed. Personally, I wouldn't want to work in a school where there's armed teachers or other personal."

Some parents like Gretchen Gill agree.

"That would make me very uncomfortable. I think it's a horrible idea. Absolutely horrible idea. You don't need more guns in schools."

But others support arming teachers in class.  As long as the teachers are properly trained.

Parent Andrew Escobar says, "The kids already stay at the school for the majority of the day as it is. We trust them to be in the presence of other grown-ups as is, so I think it's reasonable to trust them in those situations as well."

As Orange County union president, as well as a mother, Doromal says the proposal is ridiculous.

"I would not send a child of mine to a school that had them."

Doromal says she would support funding for a security guard or resource officer. We also asked the The Brevard Federation of Teachers about the proposal.

They say, "It is a reckless knee jerk reaction that is not grounded in research."