Gov. Baker Says Arming Teachers Isn’t the Answer to School Violence

(AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker says more guns in the classroom isn’t the answer to school shootings.

The Republican made the comment Thursday after President Donald Trump suggested in a tweet that “highly trained teachers would act as a deterrent to the cowards that do this” and later suggested they receive bonuses for the added responsibility.

Baker said the nation should instead follow some of the gun laws already adopted in Massachusetts, including an assault weapons ban and a law giving police chiefs greater power to deny gun licenses.

Massachusetts has also banned “bump stock” devices like the kind used in last year’s mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed at least 58 people and injured hundreds more. The devices allow semi-automatic rifles to mimic the rapid fire of machine guns.