South Dakota Law Lets Schools Arm Teachers

South Dakota has adopted a new law allowing the state's school districts to arm teachers and other personnel with guns.

Governor Dennis Daugaard signed the controversial school sentinel bill into law despite opposition from representatives from the state's school boards.

Supporters say the so-called sentinels could help prevent tragedies such the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six teachers were killed in December by a lone gunman.

But representatives of school boards, school administrators and teachers opposed the bill, saying it could make schools more dangerous.

They expressed concern that having armed personnel in schools could lead to accidental shootings and put guns in the hands of people who are not adequately trained to shoot in emergency situations.

But the bill's sponsor, Representative Scott Craig, a Republican, said he had received messages from a growing number of school board members and administrators who back it.

Mr Craig said rural districts did not have the money to hire full-time law officers, so were interested in arming teachers or volunteers.

The measure does not force a district to arm its teachers or require teachers to carry a gun.

The South Dakota House voted 40-19 to accept the Senate version of the bill, which added a requirement that a school district must decide in a public meeting whether to arm teachers and others.

Another Senate amendment allowed school district residents to push a school board's decision to a public vote.