After hearing heartfelt and emotional testimonies to increase school safety Wednesday (Feb. 21) Donald Trump suggested the best way to thwart future school shootings is to arm teachers with guns.
“If you had a teacher who was adept with the firearm, they could end the attack very quickly,” the president suggested. Trump continued saying schools could give up to 20% of teachers firearms to stop the “maniacs.”
“This would be obviously only for people who were very adept at handling a gun, and it would be, it’s called concealed carry, where a teacher would have a concealed gun on them. They’d go for special training and they would be there and you would no longer have a gun-free zone,” Trump said. “Gun-free zone to a maniac — because they’re all cowards — a gun-free zone is ‘let’s go in and let’s attack because bullets aren’t coming back at us.’
Trump’s suggestions came after surviving family members and teacher who’ve all endured school shootings spoke on their experience. Trump’s list of solutions also include more mental institutions and hospitals. Trump’s proposed problem solving technique was celebrated by some.
“I’m not here to debate, but I lost my sister. And like Mr. President said, if you could find 20% of maybe retired law enforcement officers, or a teacher who could go through discreet training to carry a firearm around his waist, it could’ve been a very different situation,” Hunter Pollack said. “We need more security, we need more firearms on campus, we need better background checks, and we need to study more on mental health.”
However, there were many who thought Trump’s idea of arming teachers is only making the situation worse.
y’all want teachers to effectively prepare our youth, carry straps, and bust back at school shooters but at the same time only pay them $40,000 a year. pic.twitter.com/mOiYGVHOPZ
— meatwad (@CDJordan_) February 16, 2018
There are about 3.6M public school teachers in the US.
Donald Trump wants to arm 20% of them, 720K teachers with guns.
There is already a teacher drought.
The GOP tax cut slashed school security funding.
How in the hell will we find, pay & train 720K capable armed educators?
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) February 22, 2018
Trained NYPD officers have an 18% shot success rate against moving targets in the street.
Donald Trump thinks he’s gonna give Beryl who teaches Home Economics a 9mm and she’ll suddenly turn into John Wick?
He leads an army of the stupid. Fucking idiots.
— The Vanilla Gorilla (@MrFredGuest) February 22, 2018
What are your thoughts? Do you think giving teachers guns will help stop future school shootings? Sound off in the comments below.