Armed security officers are becoming more prevalent at America's schools as a heated debate rages over whether teachers and other school officials should carry guns, according to a new federal study released Thursday.
Data from a survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics said armed officers were present at least once a week in 43 percent of all public schools during the 2015-16 school year, compared with 31 percent of schools a decade earlier.
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Last month's mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida put renewed focus on the role of armed school security guards after a video showed that a sheriff's deputy didn't enter the building where the attack was taking place.
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Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has said that schools should have the option to arm teachers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cox Media Group
