Weingarten rips Trump’s push for teachers to carry weapons
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten slammed President Donald Trump for his pro-armed teachers remarks at a National Rifle Association event.
One of the NRA’s top goals is to allow trained teachers to carry concealed weapons in the classroom and add more armed security guards to schools around the country. Trump is a fan of that proposal and parroted a familiar talking point about how gun-free zones are invitations to potential attackers to harm children.
“They love their students and they’re not going to let anybody hurt their students. But you have to give them a chance,” said Trump at the rally. “In America, we trust the people to be wise and good…that is why in America, we’ve always trusted the people to keep and bear arms.”
That did not sit well with Weingarten.
“Gun violence now kills more young people in our country than car accidents,” said Weingarten in a statement. “Instead of being a champion for children and working to fight our nation’s gun violence epidemic, the president wants more guns in schools regardless of the consequences.”
Nine states, including New York, have enacted laws that ban domestic abusers from purchasing guns. Florida’s law came after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 14 of this year.
“The president should be a cheerleader for students, parents and educators, not for the NRA and gun manufacturers,” stated Weingarten. “President Trump continues to call for arming teachers and school staff with guns, but he’s been completely silent when it comes to what educators have asked to be armed with—the respect and resources they need to teach students.”
New York’s state government is pushing for more gun reform as well. A Continue reading: Weingarten rips Trump’s push for teachers to carry weapons | New York Amsterdam News: The new Black view:
