In an effort to improve campus safety, Georgia Republican Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones announced legislation on Wednesday that would pay teachers $10,000 per year to carry a gun to class.
According to Jones, the bill would make use of state funds to guarantee that instructors and Georgia’s school systems have access to appropriate firearms training and certification.
“We feel like this is the best way to prepare faculty, but also prepare law enforcement and the system however we can,” Jones said during an appearance on Wednesday.
Additionally, the plan asks for increased funding to be given to schools that employ police-certified school resource officers, as well as tighter regulations for already-existing school safety programs.
Together with the Lt. Gov., Republican state senators Max Burns and Clint Dixon drafted the 2024 legislative goal to improve school safety, arguing that their top focus should be safeguarding students and teachers.
According to local media reports, school boards in Georgia have given permission for teachers and other qualified non-officers to carry firearms on school property. Nevertheless, it’s unknown how many districts have made this decision.
After a mass shooter at Nashville’s The Covenant School killed six people, including three children, in recent months, there have been more calls for school teachers to carry weapons.
To lower gun violence in K–12 schools, a number of states in the United States have started drafting legislation to permit more teachers and staff members to carry firearms.
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