In a riveting episode of “Fox News Tonight,” Kayleigh McEnany, the acclaimed Fox News contributor and former press secretary to President Trump, posed an intriguing question to potential GOP presidential candidates for the 2024 race: “What is your plan to protect America’s students? How do you intend to achieve that while keeping gun rights unabridged?”
The responses to this pressing issue revealed a diverse array of strategies, each underscored by a deep commitment to safeguard America’s students and uphold the integrity of the Second Amendment.
First up was entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who insisted on addressing the mental health crisis in our country. Highlighting a disturbing trend, Ramaswamy stated, “Nearly every major mass shooting is committed by someone who grew up in a fatherless household.” He advocated for pro-family policies and called for the implementation of regulations on certain addictive types of social media for young children. Comparing these proposed regulations to the restrictions on cigarettes, Ramaswamy also suggested each school should have three armed security guards.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley focused on structural changes in school security, advocating for a single point of entry and stationing law enforcement officers at every school. Haley also championed the importance of having guidance and mental health counselors in every school, pointing to the strong link between such incidents and mental health issues.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina centered his perspective on education, underscoring that school safety is inherently linked to quality education. In his view, feeling unsafe in one’s school can significantly disrupt a child’s educational experience.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ representative sent a statement expressing the Governor’s strong commitment to school safety while firmly rejecting attempts to use this issue as a means to curtail Second Amendment rights. He would continue to champion school safety, he said, and provide local law enforcement with all necessary resources.
The program also played an audio clip of DeSantis discussing the allocation of nearly $1 billion for school security, emphasizing the importance of school resource officers’ presence.
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign referred to his remarks at the NRA, where he called for repealing ineffective laws and proposed a tax credit for teachers who purchased a concealed handgun. He stated that with $12 billion, armed security guards could be placed at the entrance of every school in America.
Finally, former Vice President Mike Pence echoed similar sentiments, insisting that leaders in Washington, D.C., must provide full funding for every public and private school in America to hire armed and trained resource officers.
Though some candidates didn’t respond to McEnany’s question, one thing is clear: it’s a question they won’t be able to avoid. School safety is a paramount concern for Americans, and each potential candidate must articulate their strategy for protecting our children and upholding our cherished constitutional rights.
