US state makes bulletproof vests mandatory in schools

The US state of Texas has made it mandatory for schoolchildren to wear bulletproof vests to school to stop deaths from school shootings, while saying guns are part of the solution and not the problem.

Greg Abbott, Texas governor and a Republican, announced the new measures yesterday.

"Each student will have to come to school wearing a bulletproof vest from Monday, June 6. It will be henceforth considered a part of the school uniform in Texas," he said during a press briefing.

The governor said there will be a grace period of one week for all students and their parents to come on board.

"Students will gain extra credit for showing up to school from Monday wearing the vests. If they have trouble getting their hands on a vest, they can still get the extra credit by bringing a gun to school. We know they will not have any trouble getting hold of the guns, because this is America," Abbott said with a big smile on his face.

Abbott further said the vests will be sold by the National Rifles Association (NRA) and that any vests bought from other outlets will not be considered valid.

These measures come amid a series of school shootings in the country, including one in Uvalde, Texas, last month that killed 21 people. Nineteen of them were children.

It is now also mandatory for each classroom to have at least one assault rifle. Additionally, schools in Texas now must have just one door open for entry and exit, so that shooters have only one way of entering and exiting the school.

"There were concerns about fire exits, but that's what guns are for. Any patriotic kid can pick up the rifle and shoot a hole through the window," Texas Senator Ted Cruz said.

"This is not about guns. This is about the disintegration of American culture. Violent games give guns a bad name. Guns protect us from shooters. Also, prayer. Faith has gone down in America, that's why every classroom will have a pulpit, so that even if a shooter enters, he or she will see the pulpit and walk back out the lone exit, where law enforcement will be waiting to shoot him or her."

In other news, manufacturers are working on stepping up production of rounds that can penetrate bulletproof vests.