President Trump suggested that arming teachers would be an effective method of preventing future school shootings while sitting down for a listening session on school shootings at the White House on Wednesday.
“If you had a teacher who was adept at firearms, they could very well end the attack very quickly, and the good thing about a suggestion like that — and we’re going to be looking at it very strongly, and I think a lot of people are going to be opposed to it. I think a lot of people are going to like it. But the good thing is you’re going to have a lot of [armed] people with that,” said the President.
President Trump on concealed carry for teachers: “If you had a teacher who was adept at firearms, they could very well end the attack very quickly.” pic.twitter.com/SnKjyYH0uw
— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) February 21, 2018
Trump said that athletic director at Stoneman Douglas High School, Chris Hixon, had “saved a lot of lives,” however if he had been armed, he could have saved more.
It is my sincere desire to provide readers of this site with the best unbiased information available, and a forum where it can be discussed openly, as our Founders intended. But it is not easy nor inexpensive to do so, especially when those who wish to prevent us from making the truth known, attack us without mercy on all fronts on a daily basis. So each time you visit the site, I would ask that you consider the value that you receive and have received from The Burning Platform and the community of which you are a vital part. I can't do it all alone, and I need your help and support to keep it alive. Please consider contributing an amount commensurate to the value that you receive from this site and community, or even by becoming a sustaining supporter through periodic contributions. [Burning Platform LLC - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal
-----------------------------------------------------
To donate via Stripe, click here.
-----------------------------------------------------
Use promo code ILMF2, and save up to 66% on all MyPillow purchases. (The Burning Platform benefits when you use this promo code.)
“He wouldn’t have had to run, he would have shot, and that would have been the end of it,” he said, adding that he only supported concealed carry for people “adept” with guns.
Trump also knocked gun-free zones around schools.
“A gun-free zone to a maniac, because they’re all cowards, a gun-free zone is ‘let’s go in and attack,'” he said. “I really believe if these cowards knew that the school was well-guarded from the standpoint of pretty much having professionals with great training, I think they wouldn’t go into the schools to start with, it would pretty much solve your problem.”
Trump then turned to the attendees for their thoughts, asking “So does anybody like that idea here, does anybody like it? … Do people feel strongly against it, anybody? Anybody? Strongly against it? We can understand both sides. Certainly, it’s controversial, but we’ll study that along with many other ideas.”
Several attendees voiced their displeasure with the notion.
“Nobody wants to see a shoot-out in school,” said Mark Barden, whose son was killed in the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. “And a deranged sociopath on his way to commit an act of murder in a school with the outcome, knowing the outcome is going to be suicide, is not going to care if there is somebody there with a gun,” he continued.
“Schoolteachers have more than enough responsibilities right now than to have to have the awesome responsibility of lethal force to take a life.”
Not all schoolteachers
After Butler County, Ohio Sheriff Richard K. Jones offered free concealed carry training to 50 teachers following the shooting, 250 teachers responded as reported by Fox 91 news. “We have 250 and growing fast. We will start training fast, next week.”
Jones stressed that he wants teachers to understand how to handle an active shooter situation, should they be allowed to carry firearms on campus.
“If the school boards want to give the authority to teachers to be armed…[they] can do that, they have the authority to do it, but I’m going to do my part, and I assume I’m probably the only one in the state of Ohio that’s doing that – but something has to happen.” said the Sherriff.
Parents speak out
Survivors of the Parkland, FL school shooting took turns sharing their pain, with some offering solutions, and others simply vowing to fight for gun control measures.
“How many schools, how many children have to get shot? It stops here with this administration and me. I’m not going to sleep until it’s fixed. And Mr. President, we’re going to fix it, because I’m going fix it. I’m not going to rest,” said the father of one Parkland shooting victim.
Father of Parkland shooting victim:
“How many schools, how many children have to get shot? It stops here with this administration and me. I’m not going to sleep until it’s fixed. And Mr. President, we’re going to fix it, because I’m going fix it. I’m not going to rest.” pic.twitter.com/H1HjCFO0Jv
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 21, 2018
Trump responds
In response to the emotional pleas, President Trump promised new measures to prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands. “We’re going to be very strong on background checks,” said Trump. “There are many ideas I have, there are many ideas that other people have, and we’re going to pick out the strongest ideas, the most important ideas.”
“It’s not going to be talk like it has been in the past,” he added. Trump notably criticized President Obama for failing to pass gun control legislation when they had a supermajority:
Just like they don’t want to solve the DACA problem, why didn’t the Democrats pass gun control legislation when they had both the House & Senate during the Obama Administration. Because they didn’t want to, and now they just talk!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2018
Indeed, it appears action is right around the corner – which President Trump and Congressional GOP will have to weigh against the wishes of their largely gun-advocating base. At a NRA convention in 2016, for example, President Trump stated “You came through big for me,” after the National Rifle Association and its affiliates spent over $50 million towards advertisements in the 2016 election, “and I am going to come through for you.”
Trump spoke Friday with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the Senate’s No. 2-ranking Republican, about supporting a bipartisan bill in the Senate to improve the federal background check system for gun purchases.
Trump also announced Tuesday that he has directed the Justice Department to propose a ban on bump stocks, which that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire much more rapidly, reinvigorating a ban push that has been stalled for months since the Las Vegas shooting. –The Hill
In response to the shooting, Broward County Deputies have begun patrolling school grounds with rifles, including AR-15s.
Broward Sheriff says trained deputies will start tomorrow carrying rifles including AR-15s on school grounds if qualified to use them – to be able to fight back against school shooters @WPBF25News
— Terri Parker (@wpbf_terri) February 21, 2018
Gee, what a fucking genius.
For more than 10 years Utah has allowed ANYONE with a Utah CCW to carry in any public school, K through College.
Staff, administrators, teachers, parents, friends, or neighbors… anyone.
They have a nice, peaceful, well armed school system.
My preference is for a guard behind bullet proof glass at the main and only entrance from outside, which is locked down. Arriving students go thru a vestibule with metal detector and xray for bags.
You don’t need a shitload of adults carrying guns in school.
That’s not the worst thought I’ve heard but what if someone actually is able to get a gun into school? There are windows and such also. What about games and plays and other activities that require access in other areas of the school? These places are damn big to think only one access point is doable imo.
We already have those facilities. They’re called “prisons”.
Nice, a choke point where a shooter can clean up from the outside.
Robert (QSLV)
Imagine 3000 students arriving at 7 15 AM for 7:30 AM class. Imagine the last kid getting in at 2 PM just as school gets out for the day.
Nobody wants a shoot out in schools. Agreed: however, some obviously want schools to be free fire zones. That guy is an idiot.
Florida Deputies Will Now Carry Rifles On School Grounds: Broward Sheriff
by Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/21/2018 – 19:34
Broward County Deputies will begin carrying rifles on school grounds in the wake of last week’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, according to Broward Sheriff Scott Israel.
“This morning, I implemented a practice within the Broward Sheriff’s Office and spoke to Mr. Runcie and he’s fully cooperative of my decision, that our deputies who are qualified and trained will be carrying rifles on school grounds from this point forward,” Israel said in a Wednesday press conference.
“Schools as soft targets need to be fortified,” said the Sheriff, who said that officers would safely secure weapons when not in use. “When they are not carrying the rifle, until we look for gun locks and gun lockers, the only place when they’re not slinging the rifle, that will be allowed to be stored, will be in their locked police vehicle,” Israel said.
The sheriff of the Florida county where a shooter killed 17 people at a high school last week has ordered all deputies who qualify to begin carrying rifles on school grounds. https://t.co/M0gteqMa6Z pic.twitter.com/qp5NpvJIcQ
— KION News 5 46 (@KION546) February 21, 2018
When asked by a reporter if AR-15s will be carried, Israel said that some would. “It will be done safely,” replied Israel, “We need to be able to defeat any threat that comes onto campus.”
Israel also discussed the fact that Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ School Resource Deputy was on campus the day of the shooting:
“Deputy Peterson was on campus. As you all know, he’s the School Resource Deputy. He was armed. As our command staff moves forward in this investigation the response and actions of Deputy Peterson will be looked at and scrutinized as will everyone.”
The Sheriff’s full press conference can be viewed here.
Last week’s shooting ignited a fierce debate over gun control, with several students from the Stoneman Douglas drama department making frequent appearances on national television to advocate for gun control.
On Monday, a group of teenagers who said they are “desperate for some action on gun control” staged a “lie-in” outside the White House – organized over Facebook by a group called Teens for Gun Reform.
Right now: Teens for Gun Reform protesting outside of White House. Just started reading names of children killed by gun violence. #parkland pic.twitter.com/7p1gC8XVRF
— Blayne Alexander (@ReporterBlayne) February 19, 2018
“By doing this, we will make a statement on the atrocities which have been committed due to the lack of gun control, and send a powerful message to our government that they must take action now” the group stated in a post.
On Tuesday, students traveled to the Florida state capitol to urge lawmakers to outlaw assault weapons, however within hours the gun-friendly legislature struck down the motion.
“They’re voting to have shootings continually happen. These people who voted down the bill haven’t experienced what we did. I want to say to them, ‘It could be you,’” said 16-year-old Noah Kaufman said after traveling 400 miles to Tallahassee.
Students chant “SHAME ON YOU!” outside the Florida State Capitol after a bill to ban assault weapons was voted down. pic.twitter.com/v6AUG1pERL
— Greg Hogben (@MyDaughtersArmy) February 21, 2018
And on Wednesday, grieving and concerned citizens sat down with President Trump for a discussion on gun control, where he advocated for more stringent background checks, and floated the notion of arming teachers to deal with active shooters.
“If you had a teacher who was adept at firearms, they could very well end the attack very quickly, and the good thing about a suggestion like that — and we’re going to be looking at it very strongly, and I think a lot of people are going to be opposed to it. I think a lot of people are going to like it. But the good thing is you’re going to have a lot of [armed] people with that,” said the President.
“A gun-free zone to a maniac, because they’re all cowards, a gun-free zone is ‘let’s go in and attack,” said Trump. “I really believe if these cowards knew that the school was well-guarded from the standpoint of pretty much having professionals with great training, I think they wouldn’t go into the schools to start with, it would pretty much solve your problem.”
Trump’s promise: “We’re going to pick out the strongest ideas, the most important ideas, the ideas that are going to work and we’re going to get them done. It’s not going to be talk, like it’s been in the past. It’s gone on too long.”
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) February 21, 2018
As we previously noted, President Trump announced that he had directed the Justice Department to propose a ban on bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic weapons to fire much more rapidly – and which were used by Las Vegas shooting suspect Stephen Paddock.
HEY! Most of the kids that died were Jewish! You better damn well believe the Jewish parents are going to make sure that Sheriff Israel, how appropriate…, makes sure their kids are safe or he gets SNAP canned!
However, to further the Agenda, the 17 people that died were, sigh, yes i believe worth it (paraphrasing Madeline Albright on murdering 500k kids in Iraq).
Why do some people believe the US Government would not stoop to murdering kids here is beyond me.
I can’t remember if I saw the following comment on TBP or somewhere else but it’s a good one.
“Nanci Pelosi is guarded better than students in school. Which one is worth more”?
But all the kids can still be on powerful and dangerous mind-altering drugs that list depression, anger, violence, suicidal thoughts, and worse right on the label.
And the government will still try and force fit a one-size fits all approach to education around tens of millions of varying needs, wants, and parental desires.
And the government will continue to STEAL billions of dollars from the rest of society to pretend to provide an education for a percentage of the population.
And the free market, which provides us with a vast array of products that meet all of our other life needs, provides the diversity that keeps nearly everyone satisfied with the choices they are given (and allows for more at the drop of a hat) will still be kept as far away as possible from BOTH the security AND education market for the vast majority of American consumers.
Yeah, that will fix the problem. More band-aids from government. But since THEY are the problem, it is hardly surprising.
Having a gunfight in a crowded hallway is not much of a solution. Unless the killer was using a rifle he could be hard to identify if he was a student or looked like one and in a large high school the damage could be done by the time a cop or armed teacher arrived on the scene and if the killer has a rifle and his opponent a handgun well… he might not be able to stop the killer.
I’m not against letting teachers carry a sidearm but God help the school district if that weapon kills an innocent student or gets left in the teachers desk and stolen.
The fact is that at Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and now at Parkland, all the gunman had been identified as mentally ill but, because of medical privacy laws, none of them would have showed up on the gun data base. Adam Lanza it is true killed his mother then took her AR to shoot up the school so little can be done to stop that but it is simply unacceptable that known madmen like Jared Loughner, the South Korean nut at Virginia Tech and now this Nilolas Cruz creep were all able to legally buy their guns.
Five or six heavily armed military veterans patrolling every school…and teaching an after school gun safety course…
grenades, RPGs, neckties, HIGH VOLTAGE…
I may ruffle a few feathers here, but, I DON’T CARE. Most cops are pussies, citing “officer safety” instead of doing their jobs, especially when it comes to school shootings, “officer safety” takes precedence over apprehending the shooter. Look at Columbine, and other school mass shootings where “trained police officers” and SWAT teams SAT ON THEIR HANDS and waited, afraid to take action, while the “bad guy” was committing his carnage. Marines are TRAINED and would go towards the sound of weapons fire. I would trust a Marine over a police officer in such a situation, even though police officers are protected by their unions and official immunity. Yes, I would volunteer in a minute, even if not protected by official “immunity”.
Government schools are already “militarized” enough.
You are correct about the militarization of public schools. However, us former Marines DO have the training to stop the threat in an “active shooter” situation. Much more than cops, WHO ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PROTECT INDIVIDUALS–ONLY SOCIETY AT LARGE.
?oh=0a610726ba1171ad058b47243d8d180d&oe=5B15DA50
Mom needs more practical footware, otherwise, takes my Family of the Year award, first place.
Robert (QSLV)
Finally, some of those “common sense” gun laws politicians are always talking about. Not every teacher should carry, just like all people should not carry. Some people are not cut out for the responsibility, but the choice should be up to each individual.
How are gun free zones on public (government) property evel legal? Seems like an infringment to me.
For private property I think it seems up to owner to decide if they want to ban guns on the premises or not. Why do other rights not work that way? Refuse to bake a cake and you break the law. Prohibit firearms and it is ok? Why the difference? Where does the Constitution separate the ammendments into ones that must be adhered to and ones that only apply sometimes and at some places?
With “all options o the table” there is one option that is absolutely not being allowed on the table.
The only one that would actually make a difference and reverse this trend of school violence.
If You don’t know what that option is it isn’t going to do any good to explain it, you won’t understand the answer.
Law enforcement cannot protect people, that much we can see and understand.
Laws do not prevent criminal behavior.
The right to keep and bear arms was never intended to protect target practice and hunting, but to deter criminality, from the home invader right up to the political tyrant.
If you want to have a logical and reasonable discourse, those facts must be the foundation of any discussion.