US News

Former schools chief: Arm up

Former US Education Secretary Bill Bennett yesterday urged schools around the country to hire armed guards.

“I’m not so sure . . . I wouldn’t want one person in a school armed, ready for this kind of thing,” Bennett told NBC’s “Meet the Press.’’

“It has to be someone who is trained. It has to be someone who is responsible,” he added.

“But, my God, if you can prevent this kind of thing . . .”

In New York City, at least one unarmed guard is assigned to every school — and some parents would like to keep it that way.

Bennett’s suggestion “would be totally the wrong direction,” said Shino Tanikawa, president of Community Education Council District 2 and a Manhattan parent.

“More weapons is not the answer to this problem,” Tanikawa said. “We need better gun control and better mental health for the people who need it.”

More than a million local public-school students go back to class today for the first time since the Connecticut massacre.

Schools here are mandated to have “lockdown” drills during the year. But a Department of Education rep last night didn’t immediately know how many drills are required.

And a parent activist said the protocols are unclear.

“It seems to be all over the map,’’ said Lisa Donlan, president of Community Education Council District 1.

“Some schools have done the drill with [parental notification], some have done the drill without [telling parents], and some haven’t done it at all,” she said.