Washington Gov. Jay Inslee told President Donald Trump on Monday that “we need a little less tweeting here and a little more listening” on the subject of teachers carrying guns in the classroom nationwide.
On Monday, Florida’s Senate approved a bill allowing teachers to carry guns inside schools. Florida’s House will vote on a similar bill today (Feb. 27). But other states are pushing back against having a similar bill signed into law by Trump.
“I just suggest we need a little less tweeting here and a little more listening and let’s just take (arming teachers) off the table and move forward,” Inslee told Trump.
Inslee made his statements during a televised listening session with about 40 governors at the White House on Monday in the aftermath of the Florida school shooting.
Trump told Inslee that his bill would allow a small percentage of teachers to carry guns if they are willing and receive training.
But Inslee countered Trump, saying:
“Whatever percentage it is, speaking as a grandfather, speaking as a governor of the state of Washington, 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. I have listened to the first-grade teachers who don’t want to be pistol-packing first-grade teachers. I have listened to law enforcement who have said they don’t want to have to train teachers as law enforcement agencies, which takes about six months.”
Trump has allowed the media into what are usually closed-door meetings with lawmakers and civic and business leaders to discuss gun control and other measures in the wake of the school massacre.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee tells President Trump that "we need a little less tweeting here and a little more listening" on the subject of arming teachers to deter school shootings https://t.co/f0oicu6WJ5 pic.twitter.com/96APNpiBzY
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2018
