Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday railed against Republicans' focus on school security following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, specifically the suggestion that schools should have just one doorway, calling their talking points, "the definition of insanity."
"The idea that us being the only developed country where this happens routinely, especially in terms of the mass shootings, is somehow a result of the design of the doorways on our school buildings, is the definition of insanity if not the definition of denial," he told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week."
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, last week during an appearance at the National Rifle Association's annual convention suggested that schools should have just one doorway to make it harder for shooters to gain access.
"We also know that there are best practices at federal buildings and courthouses, where for security reasons, they limit the means of entry to one entrance," he said during his speech.
"Schools likewise should have a single point of entry. Fire exits should only open out.
"At that single point of entry, we should have multiple armed police officers, or, if need be, military veterans trained to provide security and keep our children safe."
Buttigieg said he would take steps to "reduce community violence, invest in partnerships" and "make sure that you've taken the steps you can locally," when asked what his approach would be if he still ran a city.
"But you're also looking at Washington to say: Will anything be different this time? Will we actually acknowledge the reasons why we are the only country, the only developed country where this happens on a routine basis?"
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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