(Guns in schools; Photo by Via Flickr

Just months after the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed the controversial bill, which has pitted Second Amendment stalwarts against gun control activists.

Some California legislators proposed a similar measure. Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks, is one of seven Republican state lawmakers who introduced Assembly Bill 202 in January.

Their bill builds upon the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1995, which allows teachers in all public California schools, including University of California institutions and California State Universities, to carry concealed weapons if their school districts allow it.  

MORE: Gun Control Laws Moving Forward Amid Heated Debate

Donnelly’s bill, known as the School Marshal Plan, was amended last week and is still under review. If passed, school districts will be permitted to use general purpose funds to train school employees, including teachers, administrators, and custodians, to use guns for protective measures. The plan also allows for the identities of the trained marshals to remain secret.

“The idea is to create essentially an invisible line of defense around our kids,” Donnelly said at a January news conference in Sacramento.

Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction, said he does not want to see more guns in California’s schools.

“Guns have no place in our schools, especially around our children,” he said. “It is disheartening that anyone would think that the answer is to have more guns on school campuses.”

While several other states, such as Texas and Utah, have school districts that allow teachers to carry firearms,

South Dakota, according to a report in The New York Times, will become the only state with a statute that specifically permits teachers to carry guns in K-12 public schools.

South Dakota may not be the last. Legislatures in Georgia, New Hampshire, and Kansas are considering similar proposals.

MORE: GOP Proposes Arming California Teachers

Newtown sparked a divisive, passionate national debate over gun control between staunch Second Amendment advocates and those calling for stricter laws on background checks and a ban on assault weapons.

The Senate Judiciary Committee met Tuesday and passed one measure expanding the use of background checks and another reauthorizing $40 million in grants to improve school security nationwide. The panel will be voting

Thursday on the most controversial measure: banning assault weapons.

When asked about arming teachers, L.A. Unified School Board Member Nury Martinez said she hopes that Los Angeles will not follow in the footsteps of South Dakota.

“The key to ensuring the safety of our students remains fewer guns at school, not more. I remain opposed to arming teachers at school and committed to keeping L.A. schools a gun-free zone,” said Martinez.

Alternative proposals to improving school safety include security cameras, conflict-resolution classes, enhanced school counselor programs, and an increased presence of armed guards.

In a recent interview, Newtown Superintendent of Schools, Janet Robinson, said that if teachers were permitted to legally carry fire arms, they would need a tremendous amount of training to be effective in a shooting situation similar to that which occurred in Newtown.

“[Police officers] don’t simply practice on a range. They do scenarios and other things. They say it is universally difficult in their training for officers to stay calm and shoot back when they are being shot at. How would we ever do that with teachers?” she asked.

She continued: “The idea of arming teachers is ridiculous.”

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Chris Dunn is the director of operations at Covered 6, a professional tactical training and security consulting firm in Simi Valley. Covered 6 provides firearms training, private security, and defense tactics to civilians and security personnel. The firm works with several private schools in the L.A. area.

According to Dunn, intense training is required to be effective in a high-stress shooting situation. “Teachers have to do a lot of other things on a daily basis and during an emergency,” he said. “Depending on the age, teachers are responsible for directing children and securing a location. If they are the primary person to deal with a threat, they are leaving the kids at risk.”

However, Dunn does support placing more guns on school campuses — but in the hands of highly trained professionals who blend into a school’s day-to-day activities. Dunn said some of his professionals could look like coaches or other school employees.

Unlike certain California educators, Dunn believes that arming teachers could precipitate accidents caused by a lack of training. He also worries that arming school personnel could affect a student’s sense of security in a school environment.

Robinson concurs. “I would hate to be at a school where a teacher accidently shoots a student,” she said.

“Across the board they need to immediately put professionals in schools,” said Dunn. “Every other resource in the government and private sector secures their resources with trained professionals. Why would we give our children any less?”

Reach Editor-At-Large Brianna Sacks here