Do You Think the NRA Is Concerned About School Safety?

Last Sunday morning Wayne LaPierre, head of the National Rifle Association (NRA) appeared on NBC's Meet the Press to defend his controversial call to put put armed police officers in our nations schools.

“If it’s crazy to call for putting police in and securing our schools to protect our children, then call me crazy,” LaPierre told NBC’s David Gregory.

The New York Post called LaPierre a "gun nut" and "NRA loon” on its Saturday’s cover.

LaPierre first urged Congress to act on Friday morning, which was the the one week anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Conn.  

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," he said on Friday.  

Local residents had mixed reactions to the NRA's call for armed police officers in schools.

"Good guys with guns is not the answer," said Mike Barbas on the Middletown Patch Facebook page.

Middletown Resident Craig Pruitt said NRA's idea is worth considering.

"It may be more effective and cheaper than banning guns," he said.  "Also, it will create jobs."

LaPierre said that the media demonizes guns, but suggested that guns could had stopped Adam Lanza.  

“I know there’s a media machine in this country that wants to blame guns every time something happens,” he said.

In a joint statement, The National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers said instead of armed police officers, they would rather see a boost in mental health services, bully prevention and reasonable gun control legislation.

What do you think? Is the NRA leveraging the tragedy in Newtown to push their own gun agenda?  Or do you think the NRA is legitimately concerned about school saftey? Do you think Tiverton public schools need armed school resource officers?

Tell us in the comments below.