Georgia Rep. David Scott said schools should be protected by the National Guard rather than arm teachers. 

Before a town hall in Atlanta, the Democrat told 11Alive he did not think President Donald Trump’s proposal to arm teachers was the smartest idea.

“My suggestion, which I will bring on the floor next week, will be to put our National Guard to work,” he said. “That’s what they’re there for. Whenever we have an emergency, we bring in our National Guard.”

Speaking in the wake of the shooting in Parkland, Florida, earlier this month that led to the deaths of 17 people, Scott said each state has its own National Guard unit.

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“It is the governors of these states that can immediately deploy and get the presence in the schools so that we have that, as we begin to work to build up a more permanent group of trained individuals who are secure, that can go in and take care of our schools,” he said.

In addition, Scott said he would be introducing legislation that would ban assault weapons.

“I am a strong believer in the 2nd Amendment, but my God, these kinds of weapons have no place right now,” he said. “They’re damaging.”

Scott said he sees the National Guard as a temporary fix to allow states to craft better long-term measures.

“I’m simply saying we need a pool right now — of people who can go in, who are trained with firearms, to be able to show and send a message to everybody out there, including these potential school shooters,” he said.