Rural county seeks to be first in Virginia to arm teachers

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A rural school district in southwest Virginia wants to become the first in the state to arm teachers.

The school board in Lee County, Virginia, voted last week to allow an undisclosed number of teachers and staff members to carry guns in school.

Board member Rob Hines said the school district has just four resource officers for its 11 schools and cannot afford to hire more.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is looking into the plan. State law prohibits guns in schools, with only a few exceptions.

The board plans to petition a circuit court judge to allow school employees who carry guns to be designated as “conservators of the peace.” The board believes that would exempt them from the state law.