SD House panel OKs arming teachers
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By CHET BROKAW
Associated Press
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A South Dakota House committee has narrowly approved a bill that would allow school districts to arm teachers and other personnel with guns to protect against attacks like last month's school shooting in Connecticut.
The Education Committee voted 8-7 to send the measure to the full House for further debate.
Supporters say teachers and others need to be armed in some schools because law officers often cannot get to a school in time to stop an attacker with a gun.
But opponents say having guns in schools will increase the danger of accidental shootings or other problems if students get their hands on teachers' guns.
The bill would leave it up to each school board to decide whether to designate some teachers and other personnel to have guns in school.
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