Internal Memo Says Betsy DeVos Can Guide States on Using Federal Funds to Arm Teachers
An internal memo between high-ranking officials within the Department of Education says Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has the authority to tell states and school districts whether or not they can use federal funds to arm teachers – an authority she has repeatedly denied having.
The memo, presented Wednesday during a House Education and Labor Committee hearing, where the secretary was testifying on the administration's education agenda, outlines allowable uses of federal funding for school safety measures and specifically assesses the potential use of funds for firearms and firearms training.
"The Department's Office of the General Counsel has advised that the Secretary has discretion to interpret the broad language of the statute as to its permissiveness regarding the purchase of firearms and training on the use of firearms," the memo reads.
The memo concludes in part: "It is therefore reasonable for the secretary to disallow this particular use of funds absent specific congressional authorization and it is unlikely that this interpretation would be subject to a successful legal challenge."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/internal-memo-says-betsy-devos-can-guide-states-on-using-federal-funds-to-arm-teachers/ar-BBVOMrY?li=BBnb7Kz
