The mother of a Texas school shooting victim has said Donald Trump would not stop talking about arming teachers in a meeting with the families of those killed.

Mr Trump met with about two dozen people affected by the shooting in Houston on Thursday, in between two big-dollar fundraisers in the area.

Rhonda Hart, who lost her 14-year-old daughter, Kimberly Vaughan, in the shooting, told the Associated Press that Mr Trump repeatedly brought up his proposal to arm school teachers during the meeting.

Ms Hart said she suggested employing veterans to stand guard at schools, to which Mr Trump replied: “And arm them?”

Though she responded “No,” to the suggestion, Ms Hart said, the president “kept mentioning” the idea.

“It was like talking to a toddler,” she said.

Eight students and two teachers were killed in the shooting at Santa Fe High School earlier this month – the deadliest since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida, which prompted mass calls for gun reform.

Donald Trump says he is considering arming teachers after shooting tragedy

Mr Trump flirted briefly with instituting comprehensive background checks and raising the minimum age for gun purchases after the Parkland shooting. But he has since returned to the idea of arming teachers – a plan he said would allow educators to “immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions”.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott – who Mr Trump met in Texas on Thursday – has expressed support for the idea, as well as for seizing firearms from the mentally ill. The idea is also supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA), and some school teachers, but has been heavily criticised by the National Education Association and other experts.

Mr Trump was last in Texas to speak at the NRA convention, where he declared that gun rights would “never, ever be under siege as long as I’m your president”.

Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Show all 15 1 /15 Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Santa Fe High School staff react as they gather in the parking lot of a gas station The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school An active shooter incident was reported at Santa Fe High School in Texas KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school People embrace outside the Alamo Gym where students and parents wait to reunite following a shooting at Santa Fe High School Houston Chronicle via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Law enforcement officers responding at Santa Fe High School HCSO via Reuters Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Santa Fe High School student Dakota Shrader is comforted by her mother Susan Davidson following a shooting at the school Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school School staff members sit in a school bus to be transported to another school The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school A Santa Fe Police officer consoles others after the shooting The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Emergency personnel and law enforcement officers respond to claims that an active shooter was reported on campus KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Police officers work a check point in front of Santa Fe High School The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school A woman prays in the grass outside the Alamo Gym where parents wait to reunite with their kids following a shooting at Santa Fe High School Houston Chronicle via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Santa Fe High School freshman Caitlyn Girouard, center, hugs her friend outside the Alamo Gym Houston Chronicle via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school A Pearland Police armored vehicle stands in front of Santa Fe High School The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Emergency responders from multiple agencies work at the scene The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school In this image taken from video law enforcement officers respond to a high school near Houston after an active shooter was reported on campus, Friday, May 18, 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas. The Santa Fe school district issued an alert Friday morning saying Santa Fe High School has been placed on lockdown. (KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP) KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school In this image taken from video law enforcement officers respond to a high school near Houston after an active shooter was reported on campus, Friday, May 18, 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas. The Santa Fe school district issued an alert Friday morning saying Santa Fe High School has been placed on lockdown. (KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP) KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP

At least one parent at Thursday’s meeting praised Mr Trump’s demeanour, writing on Facebook that he “met with us privately and showed sincerity, compassion, and concern on making our schools safer across the nation”.

“He spent time talking to the survivors and asking on what happened and what would have made a difference,” wrote Pamela Stanich, whose 17-year-old son, Jared Black, was among those killed. “Changes are coming for the good. Thank you Mr Trump.”

Mr Trump’s school safety commission, which he convened in response to the Parkland shooting, also met on Thursday outside Washington. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who heads the commission, announced a $1m grant for the Santa Fe school district that day.