HARRISBURG — A bill to allow Pennsylvania teachers and other school employees to carry guns at work is drawing a mixed reaction from lawmakers.

State Sen. Donald White, R-41st, the prime sponsor, said today at a Senate Education Committee hearing that the bill would give school boards more options for protecting students.

White represents a number of communities in the eastern part of Butler County.

Indiana High School math teacher Mark Zilinskas testifies that it would enable school employees licensed and trained to use guns to potentially prevent a mass shooting, rather than react to it. He points out that 20 children and six educators were killed in barely five minutes at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012.

But Sen. Anthony Williams of Philadelphia says it’s a bad idea to place such a grave responsibility on people whose principal interest is educating children.