Democrat Files Emergency Bill to Block DeVos Plan to Use Federal Funds to Put Guns in Schools

‘More Kids Will Be Killed in Schools if This Policy Is Put in Place’

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, is filing an emergency bill to block Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ plan to allow federal funds to be used to put guns in classrooms.

“More kids will be killed in schools if this policy is put in place—plain and simple. That’s why Congress must block its implementation,” Murphy said in a statement, just hours after a New York Times article revealed DeVos’ scheme. “My lord – we can’t let this happen,” he added on Twitter.

🚨🚨🚨
This morning we found out Betsy DeVos is trying to use federal funds to arm teachers. I just introduced emergency legislation to stop her.

Add your name now to tell Betsy DeVos: No guns in our classrooms ➡️ https://t.co/ueI6DeO42u

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) August 23, 2018

“The Secretary of Education cares more about the firearms industry’s bottom line than the safety of our kids, and that should scare parents to death. I have two elementary school age boys, and so I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that Secretary [Betsy] DeVos’s plan to arm our schools is stopped in its tracks,” Murphy’s statement adds, as The Hill reports.

DeVos’ plan would take money from an Obama-era grant program that was designed to end unfunded mandates and to help local school districts apply federal funds where they were needed most. But the purpose of the grants is clear: “provide all students with access to a well-rounded education,” as the Education Dept.’s own website makes clear.

“Congress doesn’t think this is a good idea. Parents don’t think this is a good idea. Teachers don’t think this is a good idea,” Murphy continued. “Only Betsy DeVos and the gun industry want this.

Here’s Murphy in February speaking about schools shootings, as he frequently does, on the House floor. This particular day was Feb. 14, and he was speaking during the horrific Parkland School massacre.