Betsy DeVos quickly drew the ire of Democrats and educators alike this week when her Education Department said it was mulling whether states should be allowed to use grant funds to buy guns for schools.

According to the Associated Press, a senior Trump administration official said federal officials are trying to decide if academic enrichment grant money can be used by school districts to purchase firearms for use by school employees.

DeVos, the U.S. Education Secretary and a West Michigan native who chairs a federal commission on school safety, has said in the past that schools should have the option to arm teachers.

Reaction on Thursday was swift.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the idea "one of the most egregious, short-sighted and dangerous executive branch abuses of our education system in modern history," the AP said.

"Secretary DeVos continues to lead an anti-student and anti-teacher campaign on behalf of special interests and the NRA that rejects proven and effective initiatives to ensure a safe, welcoming school climate for children."

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, claimed DeVos is doing the bidding of the National Rifle Association.

"Instead of after-school programs or counselors, programs that are critical for creating safe and welcoming schools and addressing the mental health needs of kids, DeVos wants to turn schools into armed fortresses and make kids and educators less safe," Weingarten said in a statement.

"She wants to turn the U.S. government into an arms dealer for schools. That's insane," she added.

The Education Department began weighing the issue after Texas educators asked for clarification on whether the federal funds could be used to purchase weapons, according to the New York Times. Texas, one of a handful of states that allow school employees to be armed, has a school marshal program.

"The department is constantly considering and evaluating policy issues, particularly issues related to school safety," said Liz Hill, a spokeswoman for the Education Department, according to the Times.