Three-fourths of teachers oppose Trump's proposal to arm them
About 60% of the teachers said guns in schools will make both staff and students less safe. Gallup consulted nearly 500 K-12 teachers of varying political leanings across the country.
A teacher joined the #ArmMeWith protest in Burlington, Iowa on Feb. 20.
(SOCIAL MEDIA/REUTERS)
About 60% of the teachers said guns in schools will make both staff and students less safe. Gallup consulted nearly 500 K-12 teachers of varying political leanings across the country. Trump drew outrage when he proposed to arm teachers in the wake of the Parkland shooting, which left 17 people dead and dozens more wounded. Barron Trump’s school blasts President’s proposal to arm teachers The President claimed armed teachers would be able to "immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions," but critics countered that more weapons will only lead to more violence. Those fears appeared to materialize this week, as an armed teacher in California accidentally fired his gun in class, wounding three students.
Rather than guns, most teachers want stricter gun control, beefed up background check systems and more resources to combat mental illness, according to polls. Trump stunned lawmakers on both sides of the aisle when he voiced support for comprehensive gun control during a meeting with lawmakers last month. How Trump gave into the NRA on school safety But Trump quickly flip-flopped on that pledge and instead began pushing for arming teachers — a position embraced by the National Rifle Association. The NRA spent millions of dollars during the campaign to get Trump elected. In return, Trump pledged to "come through" for the powerful gun lobby.
But despite his cozy relationship with the NRA, Trump confused lawmakers when he told them to not be "afraid" of the lobby, which donates millions of dollars to congressional Republicans each election cycle. "They do have great power, I agree with that," Trump told lawmakers at the White House on Feb. 28. "They have great power over you people. They have less power over me." Kaynak:Nydailynews