Rep. Castro 'Dumbfounded' by Proposal to Arm Teachers
*By Philly Bubaris*
The failure to enact gun-control legislation after yet another deadly school shooting may be frustrating, but Representative Joaquin Castro said Tuesday he was dumbfounded by alternative proposals to arm teachers to prevent mass shootings.
"I don't think that the answer is to put a gun in every classroom," the Texas Democrat said in an interview with Cheddar. Castro said he consulted his own father, a teacher for 31 years, on the issue. "Like so many other teachers, they didn't sign up to be soldiers or police officers," Castro said. "I just don't see that as a solution."
Castro is one of many members on Congress and the general public upset by the slow ー often non-existent ー pace of gun control legislation after another mass shooting. The latest, at Santa Fe High School southeast of Houston, saw 10 people killed when the suspected shooter, 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, went on a rampage with his father's shotgun and .38-caliber pistol.
Pagourtzis is being held without bond, on suicide watch, in the Galveston County Jail. His father told the Wall Street Journal that his son was a "good boy," and the bullying his son received caused him lash out.
Castro said all levels of government and all members of the community must take some action to help prevent future mass shootings.
He said it was parents' responsibility to lock up their weapons, and he said schools deserve increased resources to provide mental-health services. Castro also called on local and state officials to take action to limit the threat of guns in some public places.
"The state legislature has passed open carry and campus carry, which promote the carrying of guns on college campuses," Castro said. "I'm hopeful that the conversation is finally changing in Texas. The people of Texas understand that there's a problem, and something needs to be done."
Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, will be hosting discussions with educators and local law enforcement officials in the coming weeks to figure out the best ways to make schools safer.
Representative Castro said it was encouraging that the governor is recognizing gun violence as a problem, but he was dismayed that more serious action had not been taken sooner. State and local officials need to do more, Castro said.
"You may never get the number of gun deaths to zero, but you can't use it as an excuse to be paralyzed and do nothing."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-joaquin-castro-hopeful-texas-stance-on-gun-control-is-changing).
The Supreme Court has declined to order the Texas Abortion case back to the original trial judge for further proceedings. Essentially if Texas abortion providers were able to get their case back to the lower court., It would have greatly helped the group move against the law. However, this decision is likely to prolong the case legal battle. Professor and Author of "The Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having — Or Being Denied — An Abortion", Diane Foster, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The Supreme Court rejected yet another bid by abortion providers to block Texas's law - which bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. This is the fourth time that advocates have tried and failed to block the most restrictive abortion ban in the country. Leah Litman, assistant professor of law at The University of Michigan and co-host of the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
As the standoff between the U.S. and its allies continues with Russia over its possible designs to invade Ukraine, President Biden held a video conference call with European leadership and had 8,500 American troops put on high alert. Jamil Jaffer, a former associate White House counsel for the Bush Administration, joined Cheddar to discuss his views on the escalating crisis in Eastern Europe.
As controversy dogs the run-up to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, China is hiring TikTokers and other social media influencers to promote the nation's history, culture, diplomatic efforts, and current trends.
The Supreme Court has rejected another request to block Texas' strict abortion law. This marks the third time the high court has declined to intervene in challenges to the law that bans abortions after six weeks, well before many women even know they're pregnant. Aziza Ahmed, professor of law at the University of California, Irvine, joined Cheddar News to discuss the impact of the law so far on women seeking abortion services in Texas.
Mayors in cities like Miami and New York City are considering introducing cryptocurrencies as a way to reduce economic inequality. Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez has even pushed for distributing Bitcoin dividends to the city's inhabitants.
The U.S. will be implementing a vaccine mandate for all people entering through its land borders, removing exemptions for "essential" travelers such as truckers, students, and business people. While the Canadian Trucking Alliance argues that the new, stricter rule might exacerbate ongoing auto supply chain issues, some health experts see the potential for helping curb the ongoing pandemic. Anthony Santella, a professor of health administration at the University of New Haven, joined Cheddar to give his take on the updated border crossing restriction. "We can't just focus on one type of travel. We need to ensure that it's clear and consistent across all types of travel," Santella said.
Will Rhind, CEO of GraniteShares, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he says he believes the Fed's plans of increasing rates is taking its toll on some of the more speculative stocks and the technology market.
