Arizona lawmakers at odds over how to protect schools

PHOENIX — A Republican state lawmaker and Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne are behind a bill that would allow teachers to have a gun in their classrooms.

Rep. David Stevens said his bill is voluntary for school districts and allows them to designate any employee to receive weapons training and keep a gun in a classroom lockbox or other secured spot on campus.

State Democratic lawmaker Chad Campbell said this will do nothing to protect children.

“This is a bad idea. What happens the first time they accidentally shoot a kid? What happens when a teacher is accidentally shot? What happens when the gun is stolen by a student and the gun is used in a criminal activity? The liability issues alone make this idea illogical.”

Campbell wants stepped-up funding to put more school resource officers on campus.