Betsy DeVos tells Lesley Stahl that arming teachers is "one solution" to the tragic school shootings that have plagued the U.S. The education secretary says teachers capable of handling a gun should be considered for carrying arms to defend their students. Stahl's interview with the Trump Administration cabinet member will be broadcast 60 Minutes, Sunday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT.

"There is a sense of urgency indeed."

"[Armed teachers] should be an option for states and communities to consider," DeVos tells Stahl. The guns wouldn't be for every teacher, says DeVos, pointing out she could not imagine her first-grade teacher having a gun. "But for those who are capable, this is one solution that can and should be considered… every state and every community is going to address this issue in a different way."

Asked whether she sees herself as a leader on the subject of school safety, the education secretary says yes, and she intends to look at innovative solutions to fix the problem. "There are a lot of states that are addressing these issues in very cohesive and coherent ways."

DeVos added that the issue must be addressed soon. "There is a sense of urgency indeed."

In the interview, DeVos also discusses her position as an advocate of school choice, which has been criticized as a way to privatize public schools.