By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - Education and public safety officials from around the state discussed the pros and cons of armed personnel in schools as a state Senate committee tackled the issue of school safety in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shootings.

Leading off the hearing was Mike Strutt, superintendent of the Butler Area School District, who said he believes armed guards are the best way to protect students.

“We had decided four days before the Sandy Hook tragedy that we were going to arm our school police officers. And that incident simply expedited our process.”

But Democratic Senator Daylin Leach of suburban Philadelphia questioned the value of armed officers in schools.

“While it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have an armed guard at every school, that we also should be talking about – and this is beyond your purview, obviously – we should be talking about ways to make sure people don’t show up at schools armed to the teeth.”

Meanwhile, the state police commissioner says putting guns in the hands of trained guards is one thing, but he thinks arming teachers and school administrators would not be a good idea.