Education Sec. Betsy DeVos says arming teachers "should be considered"

Betsy DeVos tells Lesley Stahl that arming teachers is "one solution" to the tragic school shootings that have plagued the U.S. The education secretary says teachers capable of handling a gun should be considered for carrying arms to defend their students. Stahl's interview with the Trump Administration cabinet member will be broadcast 60 Minutes, Sunday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT.

"There is a sense of urgency indeed."

"[Armed teachers] should be an option for states and communities to consider," DeVos tells Stahl. The guns wouldn't be for every teacher, says DeVos, pointing out she could not imagine her first-grade teacher having a gun. "But for those who are capable, this is one solution that can and should be considered… every state and every community is going to address this issue in a different way."

Asked whether she sees herself as a leader on the subject of school safety, the education secretary says yes, and she intends to look at innovative solutions to fix the problem. "There are a lot of states that are addressing these issues in very cohesive and coherent ways."

DeVos added that the issue must be addressed soon. "There is a sense of urgency indeed."

In the interview, DeVos also discusses her position as an advocate of school choice, which has been criticized as a way to privatize public schools.