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Texas Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw was called out by CNN reporter Dana Bash after he said putting more guns in schools would prevent tragedies like the recent mass shooting at Nashville's Covenant School from occurring.
Crenshaw believes if there were at least two armed guards or police officers at every school in America, mass shootings could be avoided. He argued the "guns that protect the President" could also protect children in schools.
You can watch what happened in the video below.
\u201cDan Crenshaw's plan to prevent school shootings is to have at least 2 armed guards at every school in the country.\n\n"So the answer is more guns," Dana Bash replies.\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
During Crenshaw's appearance on CNN's State of the Union, anchor Bash pointed out guns are "the leading cause of death for children and teens" in the United States and saving their lives should be a "top priority." Crenshaw maintained armed guards would be the best solution and he has visited many schools with "armed police presence."
However a report released Sunday, April 2, revealed several staff members at The Covenant School carried guns to provide security. Crenshaw was either unaware of this fact or ignored it.
After Crenshaw said it’s “very difficult to build a pattern" around school shootings because they're "anomalous," Bash questioned his line of reasoning.
“You said that they’re random. The one through line in these deaths is that they are shootings. Therefore, they are done by guns."
"And guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. So shouldn’t helping save the lives of children be a top priority for you, as a member of the House majority?”
Crenshaw replied:
“No, it absolutely should be, which is why I say I would look to the thing that would absolutely stop this, which is putting armed police officers at every school. I visit a lot of schools. I do talks at various schools."
"It’s very rare that I go into a school, especially the newer ones, and they don’t have some kind of armed police presence there at all times.”
At this point, Bash called him out rather bluntly, asking:
"So the answer is more guns?"
But Crenshaw doubled down and insisted "the answer is armed guards" before adding:
"No, the answer is armed guards, right, armed guards. Yes, more guns, the kind of guns that protect the President, that protect you all at CNN.”
Many have similarly criticized Crenshaw for his remarks.
\u201c@atrupar So then, so we need armed guards at malls, restaurants, parks and churches? Mass shootings don\u2019t all happen at schools, so how is this addressing the consistent issue of guns in general?\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
\u201c@atrupar So his answer is to find almost Quarter of a million trustworthy and proficient highly trained armed guards out of thin air. (Plus reserves)\n\nThe armies of France Germany and Spain don\u2019t have that many soldiers!\n\nThe GOP is not a serious party.\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
\u201c@atrupar @shannonrwatts Useful to remember that @DanCrenshawTX is an imbecile beholden to the NRA. \n\nYou don't have to sacrifice children for gun lobby money, Dan. But you, along with most of the @GOP, CHOOSE to.\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
\u201c@atrupar Republicans and their reckless government spending\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
\u201c@atrupar Hmm\u2026his solution is more guns. I wonder how much he gets from the NRA\u2014which benefits from increased gun sales.\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
\u201c@atrupar 400 million guns and counting. Maybe we will be safer when we get to half a billion guns. Some staff at the Nashville school were armed, by the way.\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
\u201c@atrupar Omggg do they hear themselves?! This is embarrassing.\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
\u201c@atrupar We don\u2019t have the money to hire paras or bus drivers. But we\u2019re suddenly going to find the funds to hire two armed security guards for EVERY school. Mmmkay. \ud83d\ude44\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1680443689
Studies have shown Crenshaw's proposed solution may not be effective.
A 2021 study found more people were killed in school shootings where a school police officer was present than when a school police officer was not present. Additionally, a Washington Postanalysis found placing more police in schools often has a detrimental effect on students, particularly students of color and those with disabilities.
While Crenshaw is not alone in his belief more guns in schools would prevent mass shootings, experts suggest there may be more effective solutions.
Addressing the root causes of gun violence, such as access to firearms and mental health issues, and implementing comprehensive gun control measures are some of the solutions that could prevent tragedies like school and other mass shootings.