Broward superintendent robert runcie town hall
Superintendent: Arm teachers with more money
01:30 - Source: CNN
Washington CNN  — 

The superintendent for the district that includes the Florida high school where 17 people were shot last week said arming teachers is not the solution to school shootings, after President Donald Trump suggested that schools give staff firearms to improve safety.

“We don’t need to put guns in the hands of teachers. You know what we need? We need to arm our teachers with more money in their pocket,” said Robert Runcie, the Broward County Public Schools superintendent.

Trump’s note card for Parkland shooting discussion: ‘I hear you’

At a listening session Wednesday at the White House, Trump met with several family members and students who have been affected by school shootings.

“This would be obviously only for people who were very adept at handling a gun, and it would be, it’s called concealed carry, where a teacher would have a concealed gun on them. They’d go for special training and they would be there and you would no longer have a gun-free zone,” Trump said at the event. “Gun-free zone to a maniac – because they’re all cowards – a gun-free zone is ‘Let’s go in and let’s attack because bullets aren’t coming back at us.’ “

Runcie was addressing the crowd gathered for CNN’s town hall, “Stand Up: The Students of Stoneman Douglas Demand Action” on Wednesday evening in Sunrise, Florida.

Seventeen people were shot and killed last Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which has sparked a renewed call on lawmakers for action on gun laws.