Discussion about the militarization of police became popular following the protests in Ferguson. But less known is that educational institutions have also received military equipment as part of the same Department of Defense program, known as the 1033 program.

Niraj Chokshi investigated the trend for the Washington Post. He found that at least 120 educational institutions had received military equipment from the program, from rifles and grenade launchers that have been retrofitted to shoot tear gas, to MRAPs, armored vehicles designed to withstand roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Derek Citty is superintendent of the Aledo Independent School District in Texas, which was one of the school districts receiving weapons through the 1033 program. Citty says the district received an M14 rifle and five M16 rifles, but returned them recently.

"When we received those weapons — particularly the M16s — our district, wisely I believe, made a decision that they did not fit into the philosophical scheme of what we were trying to do to protect our kids and our staff," Citty told Here & Now's Robin Young