A new South Dakota law will allow teachers to carry guns in the classroom, the New York Times reports.
South Dakota is the first state to pass a law that specifically allows teachers to carry guns in school, according to the Times.
Lawmakers in more than a dozen states have proposed similar plans, including Virginia, Washington, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, and Kentucky. And 18 states allow adults to carry loaded weapons onto school grounds with "few or minor conditions," NBC news reports.
The law's supporters argue teachers should be armed in a rural state where some schools are several miles from police or firefighters.
However, the public opposes arming teachers. Fifty-seven percent of Americans don't want more teachers and school officials with guns, according to a recent Pew Research poll.
SEE ALSO: Massive Gun Profits Make Firearms Nearly Impossible To Control [INFOGRAPHIC]
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