North Carolina Governor Josh Stein vetoes legislation that would have allowed private schools to permit teachers and volunteers to carry concealed firearms on campus. The controversial House Bill 193 sought to authorize armed staff with specific training and board approval, a measure supporters claimed was necessary for enhancing school safety following tragic events like the Nashville shooting in 2023.
In his veto statement, Stein emphasizes that the presence of firearms on school grounds would compromise student safety, advocating for trained law enforcement personnel instead. “We cannot substitute the protection offered by well-trained law enforcement officers by asking teachers and school volunteers to step in and respond to crises while armed,” he asserts, reinforcing a growing debate on school security and gun rights in North Carolina.
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