Gov. Jay Inslee tells Trump teachers don’t want to pack heat
Feb 26, 2018, 10:45 AM | Updated: 11:13 am
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Governor Jay Inslee suggested President Donald Trump consider using Washington state’s Extreme Risk Protection Order as a model for a national system to keep guns out of the wrong hands.
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At the National Governors Association, Inslee told Trump he has spoken with teachers who say they do not want to be armed.
“I have listened to the people who would be affected by that. I have listened to the biology teachers and they don’t want to do that at any percentage. I have listened to the first-grade teachers that don’t want to be pistol-packing first-grade teachers. I have listened to law enforcement who have said they don’t want to train teacher as law enforcement agencies which take about six months.
“I just think this is a circumstance where we need to listen that educators should educate and not be foisted upon this responsibility of packing heat in first-grade classes.”
The Extreme Risk Protection Order allows family members or officers to ask a judge for permission to confiscate firearms from someone they believe poses a danger.
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During Trump’s 75-minute meeting with governors on how to address school shootings, Inslee also said “we need a little less tweeting, a little more listening.”
The Associated Press reports that Trump called on Florida Governor Rick Scott to outline steps he’s taken to respond to the Feb. 13 Parkland shooting that left 17 dead. Scott plans to increase funding to protect schools and tighten gun restrictions on people with mental health issues.
Despite the negative reaction to Trump’s proposal to have some teachers armed in schools, he continued to push forward with the idea Monday morning. He said doesn’t want all teachers to carry weapons, just those with “natural talent.” The president said the only way to end school shootings was “retribution.”
He added, “the bad guy has to understand that there’s a big price to pay if you mess around with our students.”
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