Former RNC chair: Trump suggestion to arm teachers is ‘delusional’

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele slammed President Trump for suggesting some teachers should be armed in order to prevent future school shootings, calling the idea “delusional.”

“The president and others promoting arming teachers are delusional. Wake the hell up people,” Steele, who has become an outspoken critic of Trump within the GOP, tweeted Friday. “There was a uniformed, armed police officer on duty at Douglas H. S. and he did nothing. And you expect teachers to do his job?”

The president and others promoting arming teachers are delusional. Wake the hell up people. There was a uniformed, armed police officer on duty at Douglas H. S. and he did nothing. And you expect teachers to do his job? #ICallBS #cpac2018

— Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) February 23, 2018

Trump has recently suggested giving some trained teachers the authority to carry concealed weapons as a way of preventing school shootings.

{mosads}During a listening session at the White House this week with survivors of the shooting, one parent brought up the controversial idea of arming teachers and administrators with concealed guns, which Trump said is “certainly a point we will discuss.”

“If you had a teacher who was adept at firearms, that could very well end the attack very quickly,” Trump said.

“We’re going to be looking at that very strongly. And I think a lot of people are going to be opposed to it. I think a lot of people are going to like it.”

Trump defended his proposal in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday, saying that a teacher would have “shot the hell out of” the gunman who killed 17 people at a Florida high school last week.

“The teachers and the coaches and other people in the building, the dean, the assistant principal, the principal, they love their people, they want to protect these kids,” Trump said.

“A teacher would have shot the hell out of him,” he added.

Trump also slammed the armed officer stationed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after an internal review found he did not enter the school during the shooting.

“He didn’t turn out to be too good, I will tell you that,” Trump said. “He turned out to not be good.”

The suggestion to arm teachers has been met with widespread backlash from both Republicans and Democrats.

A group of teachers took to social media this week to create the Twitter hashtag #ArmMeWith, calling on lawmakers to provide teachers with better school supplies and funding for mental health resources rather than firearm training.