(Image source from: Arizona teachers can have guns in schools})

Faced with increasing incidents of shootout at schools, an Arizona House committee has okayed a bill that purports to allow classroom teachers to have guns. The bill was approved on Wednesday by the Committee on Appropriations by a 7-3 vote.

Supporters of House Bill 2412 say that in case a school faces a mass shooting incident, the legislation would prove helpful in protecting the lives of children and staff.

But opponents of the bill opine that guns in school are no guarantee that they would protect children. Also, authorising guns for all classroom teachers could prove to be an expensive affair for schools.

The bill if it becomes an act will allow school districts to arm their staff and teachers with guns to face an event of mass shootout. However, the armed teachers and staff have to complete 24 hours of arms training from instructors, who have been approved. Besides they have to go through a yearly retraining programme.

House Bill 2412 directs school districts to store guns in lockers and can be used only in case of an emergency, like a school shooting.

Last year a similar bill was introduced by sponsor Rep. David Stevens of Sierra Vista. The proposal was never heard.

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(AW: Pratima Tigga)