Minnesota Lawmakers Consider Ways To Protect Students From Gun Violence

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota's elected officials are looking for ways to prevent a school shooting.

Gov. Mark Dayton met Tuesday morning with legislative leaders and his cabinet to talk about ways to make schools safer.

On Monday, Senate Republicans introduced a proposal that would let local school districts choose safety enhancements.

The "Safe Schools Fund" would include options for bulletproof glass, steel doors, armed guards or police, single point entrances, and even a new state fire alarm policy, so students do not unwittingly evacuate their classrooms into a shooter's line of fire.

"The greater fear is not fire," said Sen. Eric Pratt, (R-Prior Lake). "We haven't had a fire death in school in 50 years. We've got sprinklers and zoning and materials in schools that really keep the threat of fire down."

School safety is one of the few areas in which Democrats and Republicans see common ground.

However, there's one other part of the school safety effort that could be controversial.

Republican senators say they will explore the possibility of training teachers to carry guns in school.

That's an issue Democrats see as a "no go."