RICHMOND, VA—One day after Gov. McDonnell said it was time to consider arming school officials, one state delegate wants to require some teachers to carry a gun.
Republican Del. Bob Marshall wants teachers to be allowed to carry a concealed weapon in school. His bill would actually require some teachers to be armed.
"The answers that I've seen out there so far are not working. Connecticut has very tough gun laws," Del. Bob Marshall said.
"Why do you call 911? Because you want someone with a gun to show up," said Del. Bob Marshall.
Del. Marshall has already pushed to make it legal for college professors to carry concealed weapons on campus, but the legislation failed.
His new bill would require training for teachers to use firearms, and says he thinks that would make a difference.
"I'm only saying if you work in the school, and you received the training and passed the training, then you can do this on school grounds," Del. Marshall said.
Democratic State Sen. Don McEachin says arming teachers is not the answer.
"To arm teachers, to arm principals, who don't come to the school system with that skill set, and in some cases, not even that mind set, is a flawed policy," Sen. Donald McEachin said.
Rather than arming teacher, Sen. McEachin says he supports stronger background checks for weapons purchases.
Democratic Del. Joseph Morrissey said Wednesday he will introduce a bill to ban the sale of assault-style weapons and large capacity magazines. A federal assault weapons ban expired in 2004, but several states have laws prohibiting them.
Anti-gun measures have traditionally failed in the Virginia General Assembly.
Copyright 2012 by Young Broadcasting of Richmond
