U.S. students protest gun laws  Trump considers arming teachers
WASHINGTON/TALLAHASSEE  Fla. (Reuters) - Students galvanized by the deadly mass shooting at a Florida high school confronted lawmakers on Wednesday with demands to restrict sales of assault rifles  while  President Donald Trump  suggested arming teachers as a way to stop more U.S. rampages.
Trump  in an emotional hour-long meeting with students who survived the Florida shooting and a parent whose child did not 
The U.S. Constitution protects the right of Americans to bear arms  a measure fiercely defended by Republicans. But  Trump  has come under pressure to act.
During the televised White House âlistening sessionâ with students  parents and people affected by other U.S. school shootings   Trump  spoke at length about how armed teachers and security guards could frighten off potential shooters and prevent more deaths.
âIf you had a teacher ... who was adept at firearms  they could very well end the attack very quickly â  he  said  while acknowledging that the proposal was controversial. Some of the meeting participants indicated support. Others were opposed.
 U.S. President Donald Trump  bows  his  head during a prayer as  he  sits between Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivors and students Jonathan Blank   his  mother Melissa Blank  Julia Cordover and Carson Abt (R)  as  the president  hosts a listening session with high school students and teachers to discuss school safety at the White House in Washington  U.S.  February 21  2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
 Trump  listened intently to ideas from about 40 people  including those from six students who survived the Florida shooting.
 Trump  sat in the middle of a semi-circle in the White House State Dining Room. Photographers captured images of  his  handwritten note card with questions like âWhat would you most want me to know about your experience?â and âI hear you.â
Before  Trump âs meeting  students across the United States walked out of classes in sympathy protests  including hundreds of teens from the Washington suburbs who gathered in front of the White House.
 Trump  also said  he  was open to looking at age limits  among other measures  and lamented the closure of many mental institutions to help assess violent people.
âThereâs no ... middle ground of having that institution where you had trained people that could handle it and do something about it â  Trump  said.
 Trump  on Tuesday directed the Justice Department to work on a regulation that would effectively ban such devices.
WASHINGTON/TALLAHASSEE  Fla. (Reuters) - Students galvanized by the deadly mass shooting at a Florida high school confronted lawmakers on Wednesday with demands to restrict sales of assault rifles  while   [TGT] suggested arming teachers as a way to stop more U.S. rampages.
Trump  in an emotional hour-long meeting with students who survived the Florida shooting and a parent whose child did not 
The U.S. Constitution protects the right of Americans to bear arms  a measure fiercely defended by Republicans. But   [TGT] has come under pressure to act.
During the televised White House âlistening sessionâ with students  parents and people affected by other U.S. school shootings    [TGT]   spoke at length about how armed teachers and security guards could frighten off potential shooters and prevent more deaths.
âIf you had a teacher ... who was adept at firearms  they could very well end the attack very quickly â  he  said  while acknowledging that the proposal was controversial. Some of the meeting participants indicated support. Others were opposed.
  [TGT] bows   [TGT]   head during a prayer as   [TGT]   sits between Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivors and students Jonathan Blank    [TGT]   mother Melissa Blank  Julia Cordover and Carson Abt (R)  as  the president  hosts a listening session with high school students and teachers to discuss school safety at the White House in Washington  U.S.  February 21  2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
  [TGT] listened intently to ideas from about 40 people  including those from six students who survived the Florida shooting.
  [TGT]   sat in the middle of a semi-circle in the White House State Dining Room. Photographers captured images of   [TGT]   handwritten note card with questions like âWhat would you most want me to know about your experience?â and âI hear you.â
Before   [TGT]  âs meeting  students across the United States walked out of classes in sympathy protests  including hundreds of teens from the Washington suburbs who gathered in front of the White House.
  [TGT] also said   [TGT]   was open to looking at age limits  among other measures  and lamented the closure of many mental institutions to help assess violent people.
âThereâs no ... middle ground of having that institution where you had trained people that could handle it and do something about it â   [TGT] said.
  [TGT] on Tuesday directed the Justice Department to work on a regulation that would effectively ban such devices.