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The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Despite the fact that both the Tennessee House and Senate passed legislation allowing teachers to carry handguns on campus, school districts across the state are hesitant to discuss changes to their policies until Governor Lee responds to the measure.
The bill passed the House on April 23 after passing the Senate on April 9. If signed into law, teachers and staff would be allowed to carry concealed handguns on campus if they do the following:
• Hold a valid Tennessee handgun carry permit
• Undergo a background check and submit two sets of fingerprints to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
• Undergo a psychological or psychiatric certification from a licensed health care provider
• Complete 40 hours of basic training in school policing
• Receive permission from the director of schools, the school principal and the chief of the “appropriate” law enforcement agency
These requirements leave it open for school district officials to opt not to give permission to individuals for carrying a concealed weapon.
Many Tennessee school districts are awaiting Governor Lee’s response before making any changes to their current district gun policies. They cited strong partnerships with local law enforcement agencies and the presence of SROs on campus as reasons why the legislation may be unnecessary for their districts.
However, some have already stated that they do not plan to allow teachers to carry firearms.
Franklin Special School District Director David Snowden sent an email to staff members and parents stating, “The school board and I do not see any scenario where this initiative would enhance our already robust safety and security measures… Additionally, we believe the risks associated with this legislation outweigh any perceived benefit for our schools.”
Murfreesboro City Schools Director Trey Duke did the same, saying, “We want to reaffirm that it is not the intention of MCS leadership to permit faculty or staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds.”
Sumner County Schools Director Scott Langford made a Facebook post with the districts stance: “I have spoken with Sheriff (Sonny) Weatherford today and we agree: We will not arm teachers in Sumner County.”
Other districts making statements that they have no plans to allow teachers to be armed include Metro Nashville Public Schools, Hamilton County Schools, and Shelby County Schools.
Governor Lee stated on Thursday that he plans to sign the legislation, giving schools the choice of whether they want to allow firearms.
12 Responses
No one is “arming” the teachers.
This bill allows teachers to arm themselves if they so choose.
NO law abiding American ought to be deprived of the ability to defend themselves and those around them from crazy &/or violent &/or criminals intent on murder and harm.
These people refusing to allow self defense by those teachers who choose to carry will have blood on their hands as soon as their schools, their schoolchildren are attacked.
When an evil person comes to their school and is murdering children, who does Everyone want to get to the murderer ASAP? A good guy with a gun! The armed, law abiding citizen SAVES lives … whether they are a teacher or a police officer.
When seconds count, police and school resources officers are minutes away.
They should take the time to READ the bill before rejecting it. The teachers would need to:
Hold a valid Tennessee handgun carry permit
• Undergo a background check and submit two sets of fingerprints to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
• Undergo a psychological or psychiatric certification from a licensed health care provider
• Complete 40 hours of basic training in school policing
This means the State is NOT planning to simply hand out guns willy nilly to any teacher who wants one and they will be trained to handle any situation. If I were in the governors shoes, I would add one more requirement. The teachers would have to be former/retired military with an honorable discharge. Just my 10 cents. Bidenomics you know. I can no longer provide valuable information for just 2 cents. LOL
Another example of intolerant minority bullies trying to limit the legal rights of others.
Thanks TC
They won’t let anyone defend the children from the filth they impose on them or the criminals preying on them.
Cut all state funding for schools disallowing teachers the option 11to arm themselves
Nothing more than the stupid liberal teacher’s virtue signaling for the left’s “anti-gun” stance…….nothing more. Tow that line you marxist activists masquerading as teacher’s, and when you and/or the children in your charge get murdered by the next unhinged psychopath, let that be on your head you brainwashed, selfish, cultist idiots. The worst part is the schools themselves are breeding these nutcases with their “hate America” agenda, DEI racism, and confusing them with all this gender bending, sexual depravity, is it any wonder we have the mental health crisis that we do now? So, the very people who are responsible for turning kids into sociopathic mental cases, are refusing to protect other kids against what they have, in large part, created.
Seems that the only school districts that are against it are the liberal strongholds.
The people opposing this are Libs who are opposed to guns.
Not surprised the Sheriff’s oppose it – they are paid about $100,000 a year per officer – it’s a money maker.
I did research and a teacher has NEVER killed a student – so that idea is bogus.
If a teacher wants to sneak a gun or knife or poison into school, they can.
Some of the school board members and Superintendents need to be replaced.
If Lib teachers don’t like it and quit, GREAT!!!! Teach in Memphis or Nashville.
These school districts should be held ACCOUNTABLE with JAIL TIME and fines if a active shooter/ Nut job happens in their system.
Supposedly, School District authorities are educated individuals, therefore they should know how to read legislation – and know when to keep mouths shut for safety’s sake. Fine. You don’t want teachers to carry firearms in school. But don’t announce it. That’s like putting a sign out front that says “No Guns Allowed”.
The new law does not state that arming teachers is a REQUIREMENT in TN. School Districts have that choice. But make your choices carefully. By making public statements of your intentions to ban teachers from carrying firearms, you have just invited unstable individuals with guns to your schools. You just gave away the fact that your emergency action plan is weaker than those schools with armed teachers. Who would go on a shooting rampage knowing there is a good possibility all the teachers are armed and well trained, as well as SROs?
Furthermore, prohibiting teachers [that qualify] to carry fire arms at school is an infringement of their 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. A well-trained teacher could be the one that stops an active shooter and defends students against attackers – especially if they have had experience with firearms like former police, military, competitive shooting.
Well said
The problem these admins don’ t understand that if violence comes to any school grounds and children are murdered by the deviants of society, than Trey Duke and others like him will be held liable for their deaths because they were give the tools to prevent a killing and they did nothing then it will be their heads.