ALBANY, N.Y. Aug. 22, 2018 — New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta today released the following reaction to a New York Times report that U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is considering allowing states to use federal money — meant to support student learning — to buy guns for teachers.
“It’s worse than reckless. It’s dangerous. Deadly weapons don’t belong in classrooms full of little children, in the hands of educators who have stated repeatedly that they don’t want them. Classrooms should be safe refuges for students, where caring educators can nurture their love for teaching and learning. At NYSUT, we will continue to work toward that goal, supporting sensible safety measures that are embraced by educators and their local communities. This idea is a distraction.”
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.