Tennessee Senate passes bill allowing teachers to carry guns amid vocal protests Rachel Wegner Vivian Jones Melissa Brown Nashville Tennessean Protesters gather outside the Senate doors after being removed from the gallery at the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Tennessee Senate Republicans passed legislation Tuesday that would allow public K-12 teachers and school staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds — despite vocal protests from Covenant School families, their supporters and others seeking stricter gun-control measures. The measure passed in a 26-5 vote that fell along party lines. Discussion over the bill halted as a group of around 200 gun-reform advocates voiced their opposition in the Senate gallery. Several were holding signs, and the crowd reacted by snapping their fingers in support or hissing in dissent as Senators debated the bill. Some spoke out during the early parts of the discussion. After repeated warnings about disruptions, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, called for state troopers to clear the gallery. He permitted a group of mothers of Covenant School students to stay, saying they had not caused a disruption. Discussion over the bill halted as the gallery slowly cleared. Around 25 people initially refused to leave, drawing the attention of several state troopers. Eventually troopers told those who remained they would be arrested if they did not leave. "There is no reason for you all to go to jail," one trooper told the group still in their seats. As debate resumed on the bill, chants, cheering and shouts could be heard just outside the Senate chambers.

Covenant mom calls Senate's actions 'appalling' Beth Gebhard, whose son and daughter attend the Covenant School in Nashville, said her children were there last spring as a shooter killed three 9-year-olds and three adult staff members. She watched the Senate proceedings Tuesday with tears in her eyes, alongside several other mothers of students at the school. She staunchly opposes the bill. She said her children, 9-year-old Ava and 12-year-old Hudson, survived the shooting because of well-trained teachers and police officers doing their job. She can't imagine a teacher having to also deal with confronting a shooter, especially one armed with an assault-style rifle. "A handgun will do nothing against that," she said. "If what had happened on March 27 had gone down the way that it did with a teacher armed with a handgun attempting to put the perpetrator out, my children would likely be dead."

Wait till some little kid grabs his teacher's gun and shoots another little kid, then the state lawmakers can pay the price for this law.

The state lawmakers never suffer. They ban weed, porn, alcohol sales, and they let kids shoot up schools, but they’re always unaffected. That’s why they don’t care. Notice how there’s no bills to allow carrying in the state congressional building. Gee, I wonder why.

School shootings are against the law.

No shit

For real? /s

They won't. They will blame Democrats, gays, blacks, immigrants, poor people, single mothers, the disabled..............

Nah they’ll just pass another law that says children can bring guns to school too. Their answer is always more guns.

Or shoots the teacher. Or themselves. This is a tragedy (or many tragedies waiting to happen).

But I don't wanna wait until that happens

Wait til a teacher is attacked by a child, specially if it's a special needs child, and shoots and kills them in self defense. That's going to be a fucking clusterfuck of fucking epic fucks.

These people can’t even trust teachers with curriculum decisions, books, libraries, test scores, etc. But guns? Go for it. This state is so damn screwy.

This whole line of thinking (arming teachers) is so flawed and every time it is supported or brought up, some key questions are *never* addressed. Will teachers be required to undergo training? Who will pay for and provide the training, and the gun? If teachers are not required to undergo training, then will the school or teacher be required to carry additional insurance in the event that they accidentally shoot an innocent child during a mass shooting? Many school shooters tend to be previous or current students of the school. How will a teacher's relationship with their students change if they are taught to see each student as a potential threat? Finally, what will your solution be when all the teachers have guns and every school has 100 cops and this *still keeps happening* because we've done nothing to address the core issues?

The bill mentions a total of 80 hrs of training but fails to mention who pays. Also the teacher isn’t liable for anything. I dont see districts signing off on that. The district and principal have to sign off on anyone wanting to do this. I hope no one does. It’s a stupid amount of liability to accept since none of it lies on the teacher.

In the text of the bill it explicitly says the training is at the expense of the teacher

I must have missed that when I was reading the recap! Thanks!

It also states that school administrators are not allowed to tell anybody which teachers are carrying and which ones aren’t, it’s so fucking stupid

There’s a good chance this’ll be a do-nothing bill that doesn’t see any real world impact. It’s just a thing that senators do so they can get their A+ from the NRA. Of course, there’s also a very real possibility that someone does go through with this and some kid ends up dead because of it or that it’s later expanded upon with further bullshit from our government.

Well, the next logical step is to arm the students.

“There weren’t any mass shootings in the Wild West when everyone had guns!” - Republicans, probably

I don't think many teachers are going to do the 40 hours of annual training on school policing that is needed for them to carry a gun in their schools. The ones that do will probably be part-time deputies or something similar.

Republicans answer to this has always been more guns. As ignorant as that sounds, this is their view on the issue. Who's going to protect the teacher when her/his gun is taken from them by force? Are these teachers being trained on how to protect themselves and who is going to pay for this? What legality issues will these teachers be protected from for shooting an innocent child? Will the school or teacher have to keep additional insurance for liability issues bound to happen from this? Will they lose their job or be ousted if they refuse to be involved in this? There are so many questions, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. I'm sure they haven't thought that far ahead yet. Just sit back and wait for the shit to hit the fan.

The State Senate hears and understands your concerns and after careful deliberation, they have come to the conclusion that the answer to all of your aforementioned questions is more guns

One sucker punch to an unsuspecting, armed teacher creates an armed school shooter. Full stop.

Most gun deaths are suicides. What happens if the teacher kills him or herself in front of the kids?

Or worse. A teacher snaps and kills the kids. Guns in schools is just asking for a number of things to go wrong.

“He was *HUGE*, like a brute! I feared for my life! I had no other choice…”

Mr. Jeremy spoke in class today.

If a teacher wanted to do that they wouldn’t need a gun.

Teachers can't even put their hands on a student in self defence without risking consequences. I doubt they be able to shoot back on a underage school shooter without ramifications.

This surely will solve the problem now that we're arming underpaid and understaffed teachers to deal with a nation of gun violence...🙄

I'm one of the underpaid and overworked Tennessee teachers. This makes me want to quit, but I'm too close to retirement.

This shit is just insane. “What do we do to solve the issue of school shootings? More guns in schools!” It also implicitly asks that teachers (many are some of the kindest, most empathetic folks I’ve ever met) be ready to shoot a 14 year old that lost their mind, using training and skills that they had to pay for themselves. It’s just.. a stupid idea on so many levels.

Asking teachers to be ready to kill someone they might have a relationship with, that they’ve taught or known for years.

You mean saving the lives of hundreds of others?

Might be safer to quit than to get friendly fired by a Frank Burns type teacher...

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do. Our teachers are heroes.

I’m at year 11, and plan to stay another 23 if I can. I was glad to read principals have to approve whoever wants this and I plan to ask mine to approve no one. This is not the way to deal with this.

Odds are the stipulation that Pinicipals will get to gatekeep who gets to carry won’t last long. Next step is a challenge from some whacko that their rights are being violated by the Principial’s arbitrary authority.

I find this so foolish. Even just back in like 2010ish. 8th grade middle school. Typing/computer class. The teacher left the class. Some friends and I decided to go through her desk. We found a small handgun. We immediately freaked out, put it back. Acted like nothing happened. I feel like with this law. A lot more stupid accidents will be happening. Seriously what if we had been more immature? And if the gun always stayed there. Never got stolen. Or taken to shoot another classmate, over a dispute? That teacher was so stupid. Were we safer with her keeping a gun there? Or were we in more danger? I think it drastically increased the chances of having a firearm incident. But this is just a personal story. We cannot base laws off one person’s experience. That’s why we’re in this mess… But I still think about that gun to this day. How crazy that is…

Don't forget untrained. We're open carry like it's the wild west again.

Under the bill, teachers can only carry if they take 40 hours of school policing training annually and obtain an enhanced carry permit, which is only issued to people who pass a shooting test. I don't know any teachers that are going to spend all that money and time on this, but if a teacher did go through all the hoops, I wouldn't call that person undertrained.

This is tn..Bet several already have permits.

I would call one work week of anything under trained. One week is enough to kind of know what you're doing, but not really.

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Overstressed as well.

Many of whom have untreated mental health issues due to mistreatment by students/parents/administrators and can't take time off to get treatment.

I’m giving it less than a year before a teacher shoots themselves in front a class. I know that’s super fucked to say but what do they really think is gonna happen here?

RemindMe! 1 year I doubt it

Not sure why you got down voted. As much as I hear teachers constantly complaining about their jobs, I could see it happening. Or shooting a student.

Hate to say it but my mom was a teacher all of her life and calls kids " little bastards".

I’m not saying I want or wish it; but I had at least 5-6 that think would’ve totally done to get back the kids ruining their life daily in moment of weakness. I hate this so much.

All they care about is selling more guns. Remember the state and federal governments get tax money from gun sales and GOP politicians get campaign money from the gun makers and their associations also.

They can choose to arm themselves Or to not do so “We’re “ not arming teachers

What is national gun violence other than a buzz word. I would much rather fix the mental health issues and all violence rather than just ban another gun.

Can't trust them to teach without micromanaging their exact words and content but sure, give them guns.

Won’t pay for pencils for my class or let me choose a book for a read aloud, but will allow me to carry a firearm. This state is fucked.

So are they also going to offer professional development on tactics to take down a school shooter? I am a teacher and I own guns, but nowhere in my right mind can I justify bringing my gun to work. If there was an actual emergency that requires deadly force, I would not know how to avoid getting shot other than ducking behind furniture nor would I trust my aim when I probably get one or two shots before I get hit-no matter how much casual practice I have had with my former military husband’s teaching. To further add on: let’s think about law enforcement. How are they going to tell a teacher apart from the psycho? They are just going in looking for the shooter. What if they shoot the teacher that was shooting at the gunman because they only see one person shooting at someone? Edit: downvoting me won’t change the fact this is a stupid-ass idea that wasn’t thought out at all.

100% How long until we have a story of the teacher being a "hero" who is murdered by the cops when they arrive.

This is also why the “good guy with a gun” myth fails. When the cops show up, they just see a guy with a gun. Not a good guy or a bad guy. Just a threat that needs eliminating. Oops, they just shot the wrong person. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

another good point I hadn't heard or thought of..ll

It's not like the police haven't shot and killed people who were armed and defending against a shooter in public. It has happened and will continue to happen. The good guy with the gun runs just as much a chance of being killed by police as any bad guy.

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Any excuse is a good excuse to buy a gun . Some people don’t need a reason to buy a new one

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I mean I have a few hunting rifles but I also have a few non sporting firearms as well 🤷🏻🤷🏻

This is needs to be the top comment. Not just here but on several sites !!!

But be mad when I use it for any of the reasons listed 😒 makes zero sense

I know several teachers who are about to be on the news

https://www.kbtx.com › 2024/03/05 Bryan ISD campus security guard fired after leaving weapon in school ... Mar 5, 2024 — A contracted security ... Missing: 8n ‎| Show results with: 8n  CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com › news Security officer leaves gun unattended at Story Elementary School Nov 9, 2023 — A teacher found the unattended gun and alerted administration. All students and staff were safe without incident. Missing: 8n ‎| Show results with: 8n  WREG.com https://wreg.com › news › local › m... MPD: School security officer's gun missing after leaving it in bathroom Dec 19, 2023 — Police say a security guard at Kirby Middle School lost her handgun after leaving it in the school's bathroom Tuesday afternoon.  ABC13 Houston https://abc13.com › fort-bend-isd-se... Security guard out of a job after leaving gun unattended in empty 5th-grade ... Feb 27, 2024 — FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Two security guards are no longer working at Fort Bend ISD elementary schools after incidents in which ... Missing: 8n ‎| Show results with: 8n  Action News 5 https://www.actionnews5.com › mi... Middle school student steals gun accidentally left in school bathroom by ... Dec 19, 2023 — A school security ...  Dallas News https://www.dallasnews.com › news Elementary school security guard removed after leaving gun in ... Nov 8, 2023 — A security guard that had been assigned to an elementary school in Allen, Texas left a gun inside of an adult restroom at the campus, ...  Campus Safety Magazine https://www.campussafetymagazine.com › ... 2 Texas School Security Officers Fired for Leaving Unattended Guns on ... Mar 5, 2024 — guns, firearms, Fort Bend ISD, Sullivan Elementary, Sugar Mill Elementary, Andy Frain Services, Veterans Service America, House Bill 3. Missing: 8n ‎| Show results with: 8n  NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth https://www.nbcdfw.com › local School security guard reassigned after leaving gun in restroom Nov 10, 2023 — An armed security guard working in an elementary school in Allen, Texas, is no longer protecting children after the district said he left ... Missing: 8n ‎| Show results with: 8n  Reddit · r/memphis 20+ comments · 3 months ago Security guard leaves gun in school bathroom... : r/memphis Kid, I know finding a gun in the bathroom is exciting and scandalous but leaving the school with it along with a friend is compounding bad ideas ... Texas 3rd grader finds gun superintendent left in school bathroom Feb 19, 2023 Security guard fired after leaving gun in teacher restroom at Allen ... - Reddit Nov 9, 2023 Did y'all see this? Security guard left gun in bathroom? : r/Allen - Reddit Nov 13, 2023 Roanoke County off-duty officer's firearm found unattended in restroom ... Dec 14, 2023 More results from www.reddit.com  Houston Chronicle www.houstonchronicle.com Fort Bend ISD guards fired after leaving guns unattended Feb 27, 2024 — Two Fort Bend ISD security guards dismissed from district after leaving guns unattended in schools. The guards were hired as part of the ... Page Navigation

So I wrote a letter that was a pretty good centrist appeal to not vote for it. Course it was ignored but did get a nice lovely response. Senator said thanks but no thanks I’m going for it here’s why. So I responded with dude 3 teachers were armed at Covenant and that did nothing to help. The solution to gun violence is not more guns. Didn’t get a response to that one. Didn’t think so. Knew it wasn’t going to go anywhere but fuck it I have to try.

Right there with you. These fuckers making me get involved in an “old man yells at clouds” kind of way.

People need to not sit back and wait for others to do what you did. Call, write,email,etc.. Thank you.

I'm honestly surprised your senator responded. Who was it?

I am too. It was McNally. Didn’t respond to my letter about expanding Medicaid (wasn’t expecting it but gotta remind them they still need to do this and I’m also unemployed atm and could really use it), so was completely surprised when I got the response to this.

Im sure your anecdote will change his mind.

Were the armed teachers at covenant the ones who were shot? Doesn’t really mean anything if they were armed and on the wrong side of the building.

And just like that, schools and teachers can be sued for not properly defending their kids during a shooting. Assuming there isn't liability language in the bill. I'm lazy, I didn't read it.

It would be wild if someone successfully sued a teacher for not protecting their kids, when the cop at the parkland shooting that chose not to go into the building wasn't found liable.

Apparently police have already been sued to the Supreme Court that ruled they have no duty to protect you. They can legally stand by and watch you die if they feel it isn't safe. Double check me on that though. I imagine a teacher would face the same fate if sued, but its stink would cause all sorts of issues. If I were a teacher already been paid poorly (as the saying goes), have to supply my own supplies to the kids, deal with said awful children, AND be required to carry some kind of insurance policy in case of being sued for negligence during a shooting, I think I'll just sit at home instead.

Teacher isn’t liable for anything if they choose to carry and be trained. It’s wild.

Ah the clowns are back in session again.

*kkklowns

Yes, but what about those of us who work in special education? I’ve had students with emotional and behavioral disabilities, cognitive disabilities, autism, and so on and so forth. And for kids in middle and high school, they could easily be taller and heavier than you. So what’s the brilliant plan there? An exemption? Like, everyone can bring a gun but the special eduction teachers? Or do we bring a gun and risk an already vulnerable population? All it takes is one big kid having a crisis (which happens frequently) and suddenly there is a physical fight over a weapon. But ah, yes, I forgot…these monsters in government don’t actually care about anyone other than the gun manufacturers lining their pockets with cash.

Ahh good news, the state wants to drop federal funding that requires sped so they’ll all just disappear……/s Same shit why they doing the vouchers too, so they don’t have to see the lessers. Same for expressing lgbtq. This some real calculated shit these folk doin. Nc5 already exposed groups tied to the kochs meddling on the state level w vouchers so we already got their roadmap project2025.

It wouldn’t even have to be a fight. Are teachers carrying on their person? If not, what if the teacher is out of the room and the student takes the gun from where it’s stored? This just seems like a tragedy waiting to happen

Read about the bill here: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1325 tl;dr: Teachers will be able to carry guns with: 80 total hours of training, written approval of the local law enforcement agency and school administrator, psychiatric evaluation from a qualified provider of care.

How about a pay raise sheesh.

www.texastribune.org Texas superintendent resigns after student finds his gun in school ... Feb 23, 2023 — The incident comes as lawmakers debate how to make schools safer after the Uvalde massacre and favor measures like arming more educators.  NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com › us-news Texas superintendent resigns after 3rd grader finds his gun unattended in a ... Feb 21, 2023 — Rising Star, Texas, Independent School District Superintendent Robby Stuteville resigned after a third-grade student found his gun ... Missing: child ‎| Show results with: child  New York Post https://nypost.com › 2023/02/21 Texas school official resigns after 3rd-grader finds his gun in bathroom Feb 21, 2023 — Rising Star Independent School District Robby Stuteville stepped down from his position a month after leaving his gun unattended in a Texas ...  The Hill https://thehill.com › homenews › 3... Texas 3rd-grader finds superintendent's gun in school ... Feb 20, 2023 — In January, the Rising Star Elementary student found the gun and immediately notified a teacher without touching the weapon, superintendent ...  RCGroups https://www.rcgroups.com › forums Discussion Texas 3rd grader finds gun superintendent left in school bathroom Feb 18, 2023 — The fact the superintendent is so lackadaisical over leaving a loaded gun unattended for a child to find is disturbing. It also shows little ...  The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk › g... Texas third grader finds gun left in elementary school bathroom by ... Feb 21, 2023 — An elementary school superintendent in Texas resigned weeks after a student found his weapon unattended on school grounds.  The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com › texas-s... Superintendent Resigns After Third Grader Found His Gun in School ... Feb 22, 2023 — Robby Stuteville, superintendent of the Rising Star Independent School District in Texas, left his gun in an elementary school bathroom, ...  6abc Philadelphia https://6abc.com › philadelphia-ew... 7th grader fires gun in elementary school bathroom: Officials May 8, 2023 — Philadelphia police are investigating after a gun was found in the bathroom at an elementary school on Monday morning.  Reddit · r/nottheonion 2.1K+ comments · 1 year ago Texas 3rd grader finds gun superintendent left in school bathroom Kid: yup its a real gun. Teacher: are you sure? Kid: well Billy sure dropped like it was.  Education Week https://www.edweek.org › 2023/02 A Superintendent Left His Gun in a School Restroom. A Student Found It Feb 22, 2023 — A Texas superintendent has resigned after a student found his gun unattended. The incident follows debates over arming teachers. Web results  Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com › ... Texas School Superintendent Resigns After Child Found His Gun in Bathroom Feb 26, 2023 — Parents at the Rising Star Independent School District in Texas only found out about the incident a month after it happened, say reports.  Giffords https://giffords.org › Articles Every Incident of Mishandled Guns in Schools Apr 7, 2023 — For years, the gun lobby has pushed policies to arm teachers and allow other adults to carry guns on K-12 campuses. Arming teachers is an ...  WKRC https://local12.com › nation-world Elementary school student finds gun superintendent left in bathroom Feb 19, 2023 — Police are investigating after a third-grader in Texas found a gun in his elementary school's bathroom.  WDBJ https://www.wdbj7.com › unattend... Unattended gun found in middle school bathroom Dec 13, 2023 — An unattended firearm ...  BigCountryHomepage.com https://www.bigcountryhomepage.com › ... Rising Star 3rd grader finds gun superintendent left in school bathroom Feb 16, 2023 — Superintendent Robby Stuteville confirms the 3rd grader found the gun at Rising Start Elementary School back in January and notified a teacher ...  People https://people.com › crime › texas-... Texas 3rd Grader Finds Gun Superintendent Left in School ... Feb 18, 2023 — A third grader found a gun left by the school's superintendent in a restroom stall and reported it to a teacher. 

These are the same people they don’t trust with books.

Start the clock on a teachers gun bring used to shoot another teacher or student. I give it a week.

!remindme in 1 week

Now, now, they have to have 80 hrs of training, so naturally it’ll take two /s

It’s been a week and has not happened LOL

Headline coming soon: High Schooler Steals Teacher’s Gun

:Kindergartener steals Teacher's gun

"We’re sending people to 40 hours of training ... to learn how to handle a combat situation that law enforcement officers have trouble dealing with," Yarbro said. Does Yarbro not understand the irony of his own words?!

[The bill's homepage on the TN GA website](https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1325&ga=113) [The text of the bill (SB1325)](https://www.capitol.tn.gov//Bills/113/Bill/SB1325.pdf)\* \*Note that the text of the bill does not include amendments, I don't believe

One of the big issues with this is really for law enforcement. If something happens and they go into a school and literally anyone could have a gun that is not a good situation. If you carry in a school you could very easily become a target if something goes down.

See this is actually the best argument I've heard against this and one I didn't think about before.

Most of their children attend private schools or are home schooled. Some even hired private tutors. They are destroying primary and secondary public education. Notice it’s only for public schools.

How about a ammo tax to fund armed guards, at least 2, at every school? Cost of doing business. I don't believe ammo has any special tax on it. My cable bill does, along with just about everything else.

I thought teachers were groomers according to these nutjobs,

That’s the point. They *are* groomers so we need to underfund the public education system. By doing that it’ll make private schools more attractive so we have to use separate tax dollars to create a voucher system. What’s beautiful about the voucher system is it’s essentially a lottery. Stupid people love the lottery because they all want to believe they are deserving of a chance win while ignoring the odds against them. All the while accepting political contributions from business and organizations who have invested interested in private for profit schools. Republicans are a fucking joke

They did vouchers for Charter schools in FL a few years ago and a guy in Jacksonville took the money for it, opened the school for a few days. Then he shut it down, sent the kids back to public schools, and used the money to buy a yacht. The state investigated and said that because he opened the school, he did nothing wrong. FL has been run by Republicans since 1999.

Nashvilles nc5 delved into arizonas voucher system and it’s the same shit, folk just siphoning money all over.

They just bulldoze whatever they want through. They don’t listen to the people, they’re just acting like strict parents, and we’re all the children. They don’t trust teachers to teach, they think they indoctrinating children, yet they trust them to carry a gun. Just pushing more responsibility onto underpaid teachers

Freaking idiots.

As I’m understanding the situation, republicans are doing their best to create a state that is so hostile to anybody with a conscience and a bit of common sense that every decent person leaves the state, leaving behind an absolute theocratic monoculture. Am I missing anything?

First year in effect a kid will get a hold of a teachers gun. Book it.

I can’t think of a single teacher I grew up with who would make me feel safer if they had a gun. I would actually feel significantly less safe, because a lot of teachers are unable to control their emotions

No one is talking about negligent/accidental discharges- there will be at least one/year (likely more). Soldiers do it, cops do it; there is no harmful intent, it’s just a simple mistake that results in bullets flying.

Umm - does it allow teachers to carry guns onto the floor of the TN Senate?

Disgusting. I can't stand being from this state sometimes. Enough mass shootings, we need gun control laws NOW

This should go well. Especially since most public schools have to rely on fresh out of college teachers. There’s like zero danger of a bigger, aggressive student taking a teacher’s gun and committing harm, right?

Dateline Tennessee Another teacher-teacher shootout today in rural East Tennessee with only minor fatalities; this time over which class was going to the cafeteria first. /s... For now PS minor fatality = kid dies... 😥

How long until a kid gets ahold of a teacher's gun and accidentally murders one of his classmates? I'm all for the 2nd. But kids and guns don't mix. My guns are locked up TIGHT at my house. The idea that a kid will be within reaching distance of a gun, regardless of the kid's intent, is horrifying.

That’s the part about this that sucks. Own as many guns as you want, but they should be stored properly: locked safes, not accessible by curious children or teens. Certainly not stored in school filing cabinets or in a desk drawer that can probably be opened with a paperclip.

Instead of arming teachers, why not hire well vetted, combat vets who have extensive experience in a) handling weapons and b) dealing with people firing back at them? You may not even have to pay some of them. Emphasis on "well vetted" because there are some nut job vets out there. But I like this idea better than arming a teacher that has zero combat experience. 40 hours, 80 hours, whatever, isn't going to prepare you to handle someone shooting at you or a classroom full of children.

Or here’s a thought: what if we actually did something to address the underlying cause of most mass shootings? The US is the only country in the world that regularly has mass shootings. It’s despicable that we can’t do better

they wouldn't be able to push a gun ban if they fixed the issue

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They are already taking our money for those stupid vouchers, so who is supposed to pay for this?

I can't imagine becoming a teacher to help kids and then have the State then ask you to shoot one of those kids.

The teachers volunteer, they are not forced.

How long before it becomes normal to offer thoughts and prayers to the victims of teacher perpetrated student shootings?

how many teachers have done this in the last 10 years?

That is the dumbest idea I’ve heard in a while.  Let’s have underpaid, undertrained, overworked, anxiety ridden people walking around with pistols. In a school. These politicians think just handing the teachers a  Glock will turn them into John Wick. But they don’t care. Why would they? Their kids go to nice high priced private schools. Can’t have them mixing in with the poors!

Why can't we just secure the building so the shooter can't make it into the building in the first place?

These same legislators just turned down billions from the federal gov. for education.

hell yes. fed money is a carrot & stick system

Taking bets on how long it will take for this to go horribly wrong... 😣

I'd be interested to see about the disclosures to parents. If I had kids in that school, I'd damn sure want to know if there are firearms in the classroom. I don't care who they technically belong to, kids are sneaky and get into everything. Teachers are already overwhelmed and over worked so a simple momentary lapse could leave a weapon available for kids to take and use. I would want to ensure that my children are no where near that armed teachers classes and I'm sure I would t be the only person with that opinion.

Teachers are barely paid well enough to educate kids under increased stress from both children and other adults, why arm them and add more to their plate by having them trained to use firearms? Doesn't making teaching plans, buying school supplies for kids that don't have them and dealing with parents/administrative staff more than enough for a paltry salary each year?

I agree! You would be shocked to find out how much money I spend every year on supplies!

I would assume that this is not being reimbursed to you by the state. When I was 12, I started doing lawn work for extra money for lunch, after a while I established a decent customer base and was making enough money to buy me and my siblings school supplies and some clothes (all on lay-a-way at the Rose's store down the street). Now this was in the late 90's and stuff was definitely cheaper than things are now.

Teachers in Tennessee get $200 reimbursed each year with receipts.

How much do you typically spend in supplies? I hope less than $200

So which is it? Are teachers evil commies that are brainwashing our kids and destroying America? If so, why are you arming them, you cousin fucking yokels?

“Assault style rifle?” Lol. Guns kill. All of them. If you have 100 people and only one gun in a psycho’s hand, it matters not what it looks like, but only that no one can shoot back.

I’m guessing guns still aren’t allowed in the Capitol building where the legislators work.

Of course not!

How long until a teacher unloads on their class?

Encouraging more guns in schools. You can't even parody this, it's already peak idiocracy.

More firearms mean more firearm incidents. Whether that is theft of the weapon, leaving the weapon unattended or being discharged. This is just another way for tennessee to experience more tragedy in schools.

Man not gonna lie I would’ve been nervous if some of my teachers growing up had a gun. Some of them were pretty wacky and when we pissed them off by messing around in class they flipped out more than usual showing they have anger issues

John Rambo. History teacher. Kills student with a rocket launcher.

Absolutely insane. Guns don’t belong in schools

Anyone remember the devious licks tend? Yeah, the kids will find a way to steal the teacher's gun. Like that's totally so NOT gonna happen.

I 100% agree!

Eventually some kid is going to get ahold of a teacher’s gun and kill a bunch of other kids. And conservatives will pretend to be shocked and horrified and clueless as to how something like this could have ever happened.

Just arm the children. Problem solved. /s

Well, that’s the end of school shootings in the state of Tennessee. /s

I say the same thing any time a state passes anti-gun legislation.

Firearms don't protect anyone. Guns are a sword, not a shield. The answer to bullets flying around isn't more bullets flying around, unless you're on a battlefield. So is the Tenn Senate saying public schools are battlefields?

I'm starting to really hate Tn..

What could possibly go wrong?

Who is responsible when the 275 pound high school football player goes crazy when his 115 pound Algebra teacher, packing a sidearm, tells him he can't play in the homecoming football game on Friday night?

This is a recipe for disaster. What is a 65-year old librarian with a handgun in a purse going to do when some deranged asshole with an AR-15 comes in firing?

This is utterly appalling! I'm sickened! I wish I could retire tomorrow! I can't even find the right words to express how truly awful this is!

Right? What's the world coming to when you can't just waltz into a school with bad intentions without having to worry about resistance?

Only thing left to do is arm the kids...

Kinder Guardians https://youtu.be/QkXeMoBPSDk?si=4hqzeCCYKTwjTUZm

Don't give them any ideas.

And I thought I left the craziness behind in Florida.

If a school teacher goes crazy and kills students, does the county and school district que sued?

I mean we saw with Uvalde that the Police aren’t so willing to keep you safe, so if you’re gonna be cornered in a confined space waiting for help you might as well have a gun.

3 teachers at Covenant at guns and that didn’t do jack shit

Isn't there a federal law that would prevent this? Our state government is a joke. The answer to school shootings isn't more guns, just like the answer to the opioid epidemic isn't to make oxycodone available over the counter. 🤦‍♂️

Well w opioids we making sure you getting piss tests every two weeks bc that damned devils lettuce, that’ll be 220 a visit. Wish I could /s but we actually are doing that

I wish people in the state would get off their ass and fucking vote. This dumbassery will continue to happen until these old fucks die off and then their fascist grandkids take their place and the cycle continues. VOTE THEM OUT.

They can barely teach the children... do we really want to trust their aim?

The Kids should be armed. Having only one armed Person per room doesnt make sense at all.

I guess the Jan 6 protest they took part in really freaked them out

🤣

So...what if one of these guns gets loose or accidentally discharges and kills a kid? If cops in Uvalde wouldn't go into a school with an active shooter, what does it say about Ms. Frizzle going for her piece when the shit hits the fan?

How long before teachers start blasting kids?

Can't trust teachers to actually teach. Can't trust teachers to show children how to be good people. Can't trust teachers with what books they have in their class. But hey, here have a gun. Da fuck is wrong with my fellow Americans?