COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – A Columbia school district committee is looking into allowing two district employees to carry firearms.

Currently, only Columbia police officers working in district buildings as so-called “school resource officers” can carry weapons. The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that the district’s security director and assistant security director want those in their positions to be able to carry guns, too.

The district’s policy committee first looked at the issue last month and delved into more details of the plan this week.

Superintendent Chris Belcher says it’s an important issue to discuss, especially after last year’s school shooting in Newtown, Conn. Twenty first-graders and six educators were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary.

One issue that is being discussed is training for the security staff, which is made up of retired police officers.

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