West Michigan native and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos raised eyebrows in Washington and beyond Tuesday when she said her federal school safety commission won't look at the role of guns in school violence.

Her comments came during testimony to a Senate subcommittee on education spending. As chair of the school safety study, she was asked whether guns would be looked at, as far as how that relates to school safety, according to the Associated Press

"That is not part of the commission's charge per se," DeVos told the the subcommittee overseeing education spending. "We are actually studying school safety and how we can ensure our students are safe at school."

The question had been asked by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, who then followed up with: "So you are studying gun violence, but not considering the role of guns."

Clips of DeVos' testimony show her using the phrase "per se" at least twice, and wearing a wide smile as she answered the senators' questions.

The federal school safety committee was set up by President Donald Trump in March, weeks after 17 people died when a student opened fire inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

Under DeVos' guidance, a report outlining best practices for school safety is expected to be ready by December, the AP said. Little other information has been released about the panel's activities.

DeVos said the panel will look at 27 issues related to school safety, but did not say what those will be.

Liz Hill, DeVos' spokeswoman, sent out a statement clarifying DeVos' testimony later Tuesday, saying the panel will look at all the issues Trump has asked it to study.

"It's important to note that the commission cannot create or amend current gun laws - that is the Congress' job," she said.

The Holland native, married to Amway heir Dick DeVos, has been involved in politics and education for decades.

DeVos last week had high praise for Grand Rapids Public Schools' Museum School, where she dropped by for a visit.

Betsy DeVos: School safety commission won't focus on guns "That is not part of the commission's charge, per se": Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Tuesday that looking at the role of guns in school safety was not a focus of the federal school safety commission. https://cnn.it/2JjrJXY Posted by CNN on Tuesday, June 5, 2018

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