More than 20 Arkansas school employees will return to school armed this fall, the Washington Times reports.

They’ll be carrying 9mm handguns, and they know how to use them – each received 53 hours of intensive gun training required for certification as an armed security guard. They won’t be identified, but they’ll be prepared to defend themselves and their students from an attacker.

I wrote about this smart idea a few months ago, but I think the Clarksville High School superintendent, David Hopkins, raises a good point. By training teachers to carry weapons, school districts may save not only lives but also taxpayer money. ”We’re not tying our money up in a guard 24/7 that we won’t have to have unless something happens,” Hopkins said. “We’ve got these people who are already hired and using them in other areas. Hopefully, we’ll never have to use them as a security guard.”