ST. LOUIS – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed a bill that would have allowed teachers to carry concealed weapons on school campuses.
In a statement, Nixon, a Democrat, noted that arming teachers would not make schools safer and that he could not condone putting firearms in the hands of educators. Rather, he believes law enforcement officers employed as school resource officers provide better protection, MSNBC.com reports.
The legislation could survive if the Republican-led legislature revokes the governor’s temporary ban on the measure with a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate during a September session.
Some districts want to arm educators because they believe police officers take too long to respond to emergencies. At least 10 districts across Missouri have already sent faculty members to a concealed-weapons training course.
