Trump suggests teachers who carry guns could receive bonuses

by Rebecca Savransky - 02/22/18 1:57 PM ET

President Trump raised the idea Thursday of awarding bonuses to teachers who are willing to carry guns in schools.

During a White House discussion of school safety solutions in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., Trump said he wants “certain highly adept people … who understand weaponry, guns” to carry guns in schools.

{mosads}He suggested trained teachers who are armed could receive “a little bit of a bonus,” noting that teachers should be given “rigorous training.”

Trump added that you “can’t hire enough security guards.”

“You need 100, 150 security guards … but you could have concealed on the teachers,” he said.

“I want my schools protected just like I want my banks protected.”

Trump’s proposal comes after 17 people were killed last week when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

In recent days, students have been rallying for gun control, demanding that lawmakers take action to prevent future school shootings.

In a tweet Thursday, Trump said he had never suggested to “give teachers guns.”

Instead, Trump claimed, he tweeted that he he called for the country to look into the possibility of “giving ‘concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience — only the best. 20 percent of teachers, a lot, would now be able to immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions.”

He added that highly trained teachers could serve as a deterrent.