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).
U.S. stocks close Monday's session slight higher Monday as investors continue to monitor whether the economy will successfully avoid a recession. For many, fears over inflation and rising interest rates. Tommy Mancuso, president and co-founder of the Bad Investment Company, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Bill Nye the Science Guy is back but on an even smaller screen. America’s favorite science teacher has racked up more than eight million followers on TikTok, and he joined Cheddar News to talk about his success on the platform, having fun but also being serious about scientific topics like tackling climate change, and his newest hosting project "The End is Nye," a streaming show on Peacock that examines disasters — both natural and manmade. "There are six episodes. We have big disasters. Things go terribly wrong, and then we show you how things could have gone right," he explained.
Cheddar Politics takes a look at the Biden Administration's effort to center inflation concerns in the White House's economic policies. Reuters White House reporter Jeff Mason joins Cheddar News to discuss what the White House is doing and what more it can do to help fix economic issues.
In another round of sweeping sanctions against Russia for its war on Ukraine, European Union leaders have agreed to ban the vast majority of Russian oil by the end of the year. But, the embargo covers only Russian oil brought in by sea, allowing an exemption for fuel imported via pipeline. Christine McDaniel, a senior fellow with the Mercatus Center, discusses just how significant this deal is, and what impact it might have on the global energy sector.
Catching you up on what you need to know on Monday, June 6, 2022, a string of mass shootings across the country this weekend, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a no-confidence vote this morning, and Tropical Storm Alex floods Miami.
U.S. stocks closed Friday's session near session to cap off the week in the red. The disappointing end to the day and week follows a lukewarm May jobs report from the Labor Department and comes as investors continue to eye future rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. Callie Cox, U.S. Investment Analyst for eToro, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
While the United States struggles with mass shootings, other countries have had success with gun regulations - often after their own mass shootings. On this Gun Awareness Day, Cheddar's Shannon LaNier reports on steps some other countries have taken to stop gun violence.
Join Cheddar News as we break down the Need 2 Know headlines this morning including Gun Violence Awareness Day, how to prevent mass shootings, and the president's comments on gun control.
