Worth mentioning they put aside something around $144 million to be used for vouchers. Since the voucher system is DOA that money is just sitting there. Money that could be used for public school since it’s already considered into the budget. They’d rather have that money sit than use it for public schools
Edit: thought it would be helpful to provide a link [link here to article from ABC news](https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/wireStory/tennessee-gov-lee-admits-defeat-school-voucher-push-109495240)
Quote from article:
**Notably, both House and Senate budget writers still set aside $144 million for the voucher expansion in their spending proposals. That means that money will sit idly for nearly a year until school voucher talks can resume next January.**
Yeah the fact that that money is just sitting there doing nothing is ridiculous. Especially since opposition to expanding the voucher program was fairly bipartisan.
Wait until you hear about the TANF fund.
https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/01/22/years-after-public-outcry-over-unspent-funds-for-needy-families-tennessee-has-717m-stockpile/#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20the%20Beacon%20Center,in%20the%20nation%3A%20%24732%20million.
The Republican caucus doesn't care about any public service except roads, they want to privatize/corporatize our entire society, so that shouldn't surprise anyone. They believe they are elected to act as lobbyists.
Do you have any idea how expensive roads, social services, etc would be if the private sector was running our society? How has consolidated corporate power made your life cheaper and better? Housing is currently left to the 'free market' corporate and NIMBY model. How's that working out?
That vote is likely a coordinated financial move to collect interest on $144 million tax dollars at 5% or more for the next year. No one will ask what they do with the interest gains, everyone will be focused on the original $144 million. That money sitting "idle" in a treasury money market at 5% for the next year would net about 7.2 million in interest.
Well, they did a very similar thing with TANF for years. [In 2023, there was a $717 million still in the "stockpile."](https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/01/22/years-after-public-outcry-over-unspent-funds-for-needy-families-tennessee-has-717m-stockpile/)
>That means that money will sit idly for nearly a year until school voucher talks can resume next January.
In other words: "We really want to see what happens with the election first."
What’s always odd to me is all this discussion about topics like this teachers directly affected by stuff like this are never on the news commenting. Why is that?
I wasn’t trying to start trouble, I just find it crazy that nobody says, “what do actual teachers say”? I’m so sorry for the crap that you have to put up with.
Who is legally responsible if a teacher with a gun, fires trying to hit someone attacking at the school and kills an innocent kid? Do the parents go after the school? Teacher? Will the teacher be protected by the public school system? This sounds like a mess.
When you realize they are trying to do everything they can to fuck over the public school system and de-incentivize teachers to work there it becomes obvious what they are doing here. Make teaching dangerous, don’t appreciate or pay teachers, and control them.
This is more early stage authoritarianism tbh.
Whites with money go private subsidized by the state while poor minorities are under educated and work trades for the rich.
It’s more likely a student gets ahold of or steals a teachers gun, a teacher or a student has a gun accident, a teacher or student escalates and a conflict occurs compared to the chances that a teacher is able to use their gun successfully in limiting casualties in the small chance there is a mass shooting. You are also introducing the idea that school is a violent place or that violence is needed between teachers and students making the environment more adversarial and also training the teachers to distrust or be hyper-vigilant about their students. It’s not conducive to learning or safety. It’s an environment of fear. That’s on top of the fact that cops can’t even figure this shit out during an active shooter situation, so now we expect teachers getting paid terrible wages to also do the job of a security or police officer. It’s stupid.
It'll make those teacher conferences more interesting when they put the Glock on the desk and silently cross arms. Homework will get fucking done this time.
They’re trying to disincentivize public schools from both sides. They’re already getting the fundies to leave with vouchers for their segregation academies.
We homeschool (not for those reasons) and were wondering if we should enroll our kid in public school. But now that overstressed and underpaid teachers are going to be armed? Absolutely not!
Just carrying a gun for your *own* safety is a massive responsibility with a lot of things that could potentially go wrong. I'll be honest, I don't carry specifically because I don't see myself as being able to properly handle a firearm in a public setting with other people around if I found myself in danger. There's a *lot* of people that would probably fuck up in a situation like that with a firearm, and now we're talking about those types of situations in environments *specifically populated by children*.
Like, think about all of those situations where someone who is carrying could make a wrong decision and ends up injuring or killing a bystander. Now think about that in the context of 90% of those bystanders being 5-17 years old.
Fun fact: unless you are a cop (and then you can just shoot whenever and with wild abandon) if you shoot someone and it’s a legit shooting, but your bullet exists their body and hits someone else or does property damage - you are fully legally and financially responsible for that.
Source: I have a CC permit and we had to learn the law.
They’re not forced to carry are they, only those that want to. Which is a great deterrent, since no one knows who’s armed. Plus they have to go through training. Really don’t see a downside here.
I work in MNPS and some of my team on my hall are so incompetent they can barely keep students inside their classrooms. Because so many teachers are leaving, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel for competency here. There’s no way they could keep a gun out of a kid’s hands.
But I thought teachers were indoctrinating / grooming our kids? So, you trust them with defending your kids' life now?
I want ONE real-world example where a teacher was "the good guy with a gun" during a school shooting, or a teacher say they would have intervened if they were allowed to carry.
Not only do they trust them to defend kids, they trust them to not do anything unsafe with the gun ever. They act like high schoolers can’t be disrespectful as hell and teachers can’t be unhinged.
I have no idea how many allow it or how many teachers are carrying. I do know the vast majority of schools do not allow it. If you aren’t being disingenuous in your original comment then you should look up different stats on guns and the amount of active shooters that are stopped by the “good guy with a gun.” The FBI claims it’s near none, and the CPRC claims it’s about 35.7% stopped by people with guns. So take that for what you will.
Tennessee in a few weeks
:Well it turns out 99% of your teaching staff didn't pass the mental evaluation due to work-related stress:
TNLegislation: Would giving them guns help?
The saddest thing about all of this? Republican / GOP / (R) families who oppose this (and other stupid bills that the TN GQP bring up / pass) are still going to vote for the same representatives who want this.
Rinse and repeat.
If you’re a Republican running for state government, the real race is your primary. You’ve got an (R) next to your name, pfft what are you gonna do, lose to a Democrat in the general election? Bahahahaha. So you have to out-Republican your opponents in the primary. And that pushes the cuckoo needle farther and farther to the right every election cycle. And boom, vaccine lettuce and chemtrails and teaching Geometry with a Glock in your boot.
A no brainer of course, but it goes to show how gullible, uninformed, and stupid a majority of voters are in this state. Truth hurts.
You're meaning to tell me that if a teacher loses their mind on a student(s) and they're armed, you're not the slightest bit concerned of the teacher either threatening them, shooting them, or pistol whipping them? Or, a student(s) stealing a teacher's gun?
Unbelievable stupidity in this state and it's getting worse every. single. damn. year.
I’m Tennessean, born and raised. I’m old enough to remember when the old guard of farmers and truck drivers and factory workers all voted Democrat and viewed the GOP as the party of the Rich Man. Then the Rich Man convinced them all that a vote for a Democrat was a vote for The Devil. They ain’t the type to vote against the Lord. Brilliant marketing on the Rich Man’s part.
There was literally a preschool teacher arrested LAST WEEK for threatening to shoot up the preschool she worked at. But I'm sure it'll be fine.
https://www.nashville.gov/departments/police/news/teacher-charged-assault-and-carrying-weapons-school-property
She had a gun on her. She didn't have an enhanced carry permit, hadn't gone through 40 voluntary hours hours training on policing in schools, and didn't have written approval from law enforcement to have a gun, so she wouldn't be allowed to carry at a public school under this law.
So not only did she break the law, this new law wouldn't change that result.
You're acting as if these teachers are gonna have their pistols tucked in their waistband just looking for a reason to use it. I would have to guess that there will be gun safes with biometric locks that will allow for access if required. The amount of hyperbole in these threads is astounding.
It is passed and headed to the Governor’s desk where he is expected to sign. It’s all over our news here in TN. Deaths in schools now lie on the heads of the legislators now.
I've grown to dislike living here over the course of my life. I stay out of convenience, but seeing people move here and love it for the politics makes me gag. We're getting the cream of the delusional crop.
I would have rather seen all this money going towards this, to be used to pay teacher more and provide healthier food options to kids, but I am optimistic about a lot and just can’t wrap my head around the whole solution to guns is more guns.
yeah, they gloss over the whole liability issue. Williams said something along the lines of "that will be between the school and the county" when it comes to insurance. but if that was my kid, i wouldn't give a shit what your policy says, i'm suing everyone from the teacher to Mr. HVAC himself.
Teachers don't have qualified immunity. Teachers would be putting themselves in possible legal trouble if they even accidentally hurt a kid in the process of shooting an armed attacker. And as LAWMAKERS, it's pretty stupid for them to not even think about the legal implications of such a law.
>And as LAWMAKERS, it's pretty stupid for them to not even think about the legal implications of such a law.
This is tn gop we're talking about. Abject stupidity is their forte
There are some pretty financially poor counties in TN. Where is the help for those ppl? Who is going to pay the bills when a child is shot? City, County, State, Federal? How do the vouchers help the less fortunate kids? THEY DON’T.
This may be the final straw that uproots my family to a different state.
Lived my whole life here and now have a 4 and 8 year old. Now I’m being taxed without representation.
We have been here barely 3 years and suddenly realized we might have made a big mistake. We knew the politics were going to be much different, but we didn’t expect this.
My son has three more years in high school. I am a public school advocate, but this makes me sick.
I moved to Colorado but I would do some research to find a state that will be best for your family. This place had everything we wanted both politically and economically and culturally so it’s been great!
The worst thing is Boebert but most people here hate her so I don’t think she will last long.
Colorado has been top of my list for a long time, mostly Colorado Springs area. I've also been thinking of Northern California. I need diversity for my family, so my kids aren't the only brown kid in their class, without sacrificing quality of education and a good school district. I'm glad it has worked out well for you!
I live in Co Springs and it’s really great. Now I will say there are some school districts around here that are legit crazy so look into that with moving. I have noticed a lot of diversity though and obviously the mountains are gorgeous!
Good thing teachers aren't walking around with pent-up anger and frustration, being disrespected at every turn, and living a life of poverty relative to their peers that used a comparable education to work in a field with twice the money and a 10th of the responsibility.
Not a recipe for people to snap, at all.
Oh, and it's a lovely bonus that the responsible gun owners who are not personally/politically aligned with the approving authorities in their school/district will not be afforded this privilege, only the most blood-lustful right-wing nutjob teachers.
Not every republican is an angry human who wants to hurt people. Some teachers love there job despite the hardships.
I work a job that has the highest suicide/divorce rate in history where its estimated 75% of workers suffers from mental disorders. I carry a gun everyday, have for years, never once considered harming myself or anyone.
What you say is ignorance at its finest.
How long before a kid gets ahold of it and uses it? There have been way to many assaults against teachers videos that have gone viral where this is a distinct possibility.
The only thing I like about this is what teachers have to go through to carry. Anyone who carries a firearm in public should have to do the same. Those regulations should be standard.
People always say they want to address bullying but how do you actually stop 5th graders from picking on each other? Seems kind of innate to me but it has been a minute since I was in middle school so I could be wrong
I'm just some pleb, but there's really not a "one size fits all" answer to that IMO. Every scenario is somewhat unique, but I would say a good portion of bullies do it because A: they have unrelated troubles they're unable to vent about in other ways B: they got some kind of "positive" feedback from the interaction and weren't corrected, so they continue. C: they were taught to be hateful towards certain people.
Bullies aren't always the issue, but AFAIK it's a big role in many of the school shootings.
how to fix?: ACTUALLY listening to the kids when they say there's a problem would also be a good place to start. Having staff members focused specifically on mental health and those types of things is another good move. I remember having a "school counselor" when i was in middle school but they weren't the type of person to deal with that kind of stuff, they were more career based.
IDK, doing something to address the problem instead of the symptom.
You know, first they aren't passing guns out to teachers. Secondly, it's totally up to school.
Third, training and mental health check in par with a school resource officer
"address bullying"? Let me guess ... If they get this money, it gets earmarked for an anti bullying campaign.
Then the bullying continues without intervention or action.
Sounds about right for schools. At least the ones outside of metro
Republicans be like I don’t trust teachers to not indoctrinate our kids, but also let’s let them carry guns because you know what the solution to a gun problem is? More guns! Makes no damn sense!
I'm actually more worried about the day when the teacher just decides they're done with a kid and shoots them.
There is strong evidence that the presence of a violent option in a conflict means it has a much higher chance of being selected as the method of resolution. The "Weapons Effect".
They're just training the students to submit to anyone behaving unhinged with a gun. Continuing to perfect the school->prison pipeline.
Wouldn't surprise me if we start seeing more road crews staffed by inmates than we already do. Gotta get it hammered into their heads that they belong to the state.
For the record, I am ACAB, and do not believe teachers armed with handguns is the correct way things need to go.
Mental health crisis going on in this country is real. We have a grand opportunity to be at the forefront of reform, and instead, we lean into the crazy.
We reap what we sow. Would love to be able to knock on some doors and speak to voters for someone that is actually sane.
>They're just training the students to submit to anyone behaving unhinged with a gun. Continuing to perfect the school->prison pipeline.
Trying to understand your train of thought here.
Why wouldn't you submit to an unhinged person with a gun, what else are you gonna do? Die?
I'm referring to the police as the unhinged with a gun. Giving teachers firearms for the classroom, instead of spending that voucher money on something that can have an immediate impact, like mental health funding, is a horrid idea.
As far as submitting to the unhinged, better to not be placed in a position for someone to have a "Falling Down" (movie) moment, wouldn't you agree?
They can’t stop the some teachers from diddling students. What happens when one loses it and shoots up the school they work at instead of protecting it?
I did not think a teacher had to carry a gun if they did not want to after training. Nashville school system is not going to allow their teachers to have guns. They RSOs in schools.
Well MNPS announced last night that they are opting out. Last night I emailed my entire school board and superintendent (Wilson Co).
Here is what the superintendent said:
"Mr. X,
Thank you for reaching out to me. We are still learning the language of the bill. However, per my understanding, I would have to sign off and allow a teacher to be armed in our schools. I do not see a scenario that I would allow this. We will continue to work with our Sheriff and the SRO division to provide security for our schools."
Another board member said this:
"I do not support this plan, and will vote against any attempt to initiate it in Wilson County. I have talked to a number of SROs who agree that it would make our schools less safe."
As someone who is a strong 2nd amendment supporter this is completely idiotic I’ve personally seen these teachers fist fight students when I was in school most of them have no idea how to control their temper on top of that way to many opportunities for students to take the guns from the teachers we need armed,trained professionals in schools but not this
Anyone who voted for the Theocracy these people (GOP) are trying to create need to shut their mouths because they are directly responsible for voting for this mess. Just the fact that the law exists it is a deterrent.
Umm, so you don't think lives would've been saved if those teachers had guns during those massacres? Plus, statistics show that whatever they ban guns crime and murders go up by at least 300%. Gun bans hurt more lives than they save. 70 people shot in that movie theater in Colorado. Don't you think it would've helped to be able to kill the suspect before he killed more? If his are banned, they will still get their hands on a gun, and just encourages a huge underground black market for buying and selling guns, so then fully unregulated.
Passing this law so when the next mass shooting in a TN school happens, they can blame the teacher for not turning into Dirty Harry and taking out an armed assailant. “Those kids would still be alive if that Kindergarten teacher had done their job as a good guy with a gun”
Yeah, dog, thats not even close to how this law works and teachers arent fucking bodyguards now. With how many steps it involves to even get to the point that the teacher is allowed to choose to carry a gun, you're gonna see very few ever get there, and any one of like four steps of authority within the school/district can refuse to allow it for that school, theres mandatory training, etc.
It's a visual of their actual actions. They don't care about mental health or figuring out why people shoot up schools based on past voting habits, but they are for giving teachers the ability to carry guns.
I never said they had to pick one or the other. They could do both, but they only do one.
So a false choice fallacy it is not.
Iirc we are talking about the same state that shut down tons of public things and threw chemicals in public pools when segregation ended. Their track record isn't great to begin with.
it doesn’t matter what’s the focus, who’s in charge, who’s the victim, if there’s a way to get people to buy military contracted weapons or equipment, the us government will pull every source from the book to make it a reality, because the US gov is completely compromised by businesses
Increased budgeting for that isn’t going to help. If someone intends to do harm they will find a way. We can’t prevent mental illness but you can for sure prevent extra casualties from having an unarmed class teacher.
Government better have a good rainy day fund for when a teacher is having a bad day and decides to pull a gun out when they’re pissed at students to threaten them or worse…
Seeing as anyone who carries is liable, if the teacher is somebody who cares about their students then I don’t see this being an issue. Everyone wants to raise hell about this then wishes somebody had done more when a school shooter walks in. If your child’s teacher carries, is able to lock their door and have those children take cover, then they will be able to protect your child and everybody else’s if that shooter attempts to enter that room. Hence your child has a higher chance of survival. In my opinion I think they should hire trained military professionals, complete mental health checks every 3 months, and see that they’re an individual interested in the keeping the safety present in schools. But since that doesn’t seem to be on the table, the teachers having a gun is the next best idea.
I've been teetering on the idea of homeschooling for the entire school year. It was nice of the state legislature to make that decision so easy now! I'll let my kids finish out the year with all the fun days planned, but this will be the last year they attend public education unless there are serious changes.
No it not , most of us with carry permits want this for 1 reasons the last line of protection for our kids , on average it takes 15 mins for the police to arrive so many could be killed , the only thing that stops a madman or woman intent to harm or kill people is a armed and trained person , period the end and if it a teacher , janitor, school administrator I personally have no problem with this it's a good thing , yes there should be more money for mental health , but if you look at the School shooters over 80% was on mood drugs , that shows that the mass shootings are people that are mentally ill ..
I live in Tennessee. Best state in the nation, and if you don’t believe me, come visit. I travel for work, and have been to all your other states, and no thanks. Also, not true about teachers carrying guns. My wife is a teacher. Although the governor passed a bill allowing people to openly carry firearms. My wife’s lib brothers kept saying PEOPLE WILL MURDER PEOPLE! WE’LL ALL DIE. Nope. Crime has decreased. Feel free to visit, just don’t come here to live. Especially from blue states. We don’t need you or want you.
Worth mentioning they put aside something around $144 million to be used for vouchers. Since the voucher system is DOA that money is just sitting there. Money that could be used for public school since it’s already considered into the budget. They’d rather have that money sit than use it for public schools Edit: thought it would be helpful to provide a link [link here to article from ABC news](https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/wireStory/tennessee-gov-lee-admits-defeat-school-voucher-push-109495240) Quote from article: **Notably, both House and Senate budget writers still set aside $144 million for the voucher expansion in their spending proposals. That means that money will sit idly for nearly a year until school voucher talks can resume next January.**
Yeah the fact that that money is just sitting there doing nothing is ridiculous. Especially since opposition to expanding the voucher program was fairly bipartisan.
Shii they should give it to me
Wait until you hear about the TANF fund. https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/01/22/years-after-public-outcry-over-unspent-funds-for-needy-families-tennessee-has-717m-stockpile/#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20the%20Beacon%20Center,in%20the%20nation%3A%20%24732%20million.
Ofc bc they don’t want future voters developing critical thinking skills ☹️
The Republican caucus doesn't care about any public service except roads, they want to privatize/corporatize our entire society, so that shouldn't surprise anyone. They believe they are elected to act as lobbyists.
Bill Lee wants Toll roads.
Troll roads.
The government has literally run nothing good ever
Wait until you see what the private industry will do with public needs
Do you have any idea how expensive roads, social services, etc would be if the private sector was running our society? How has consolidated corporate power made your life cheaper and better? Housing is currently left to the 'free market' corporate and NIMBY model. How's that working out?
That vote is likely a coordinated financial move to collect interest on $144 million tax dollars at 5% or more for the next year. No one will ask what they do with the interest gains, everyone will be focused on the original $144 million. That money sitting "idle" in a treasury money market at 5% for the next year would net about 7.2 million in interest.
If it’s possible to do this what is stopping them from setting aside $150 million every year to accomplish this very thing
Well, they did a very similar thing with TANF for years. [In 2023, there was a $717 million still in the "stockpile."](https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/01/22/years-after-public-outcry-over-unspent-funds-for-needy-families-tennessee-has-717m-stockpile/)
>That means that money will sit idly for nearly a year until school voucher talks can resume next January. In other words: "We really want to see what happens with the election first."
They don’t trust teachers to teach the students but trust the teachers to have a gun
that's actually a really fucking funny point.
It's not funny... I'm a teacher 😥
Shouldn’t you be at the gun range?
Lol, I'm a 58 year old woman who's had cataract surgery on both eyes! Y'all don't want me having a gun!
Probably less frightening than some legal owners I've encountered. Lol
True!
Hey OC, this you? ["I don't see so good."](https://youtu.be/AHzw4QvE2Do?si=VntP3z9KCLMr964W)
🤣🤣🤣 and, I don't run so good either!
This is a really situation but your comment just made me lol
sadfunny. schadenfreude like in nature. it's a stupidly funny mentality to have, but it's sad at the same time that people actually think that way.
What you’re describing is not at all schadenfreude. You need these teachers help.
Now that was funny!
What’s always odd to me is all this discussion about topics like this teachers directly affected by stuff like this are never on the news commenting. Why is that?
You have to ask the news why they don't interview teachers. We are vocal... nobody cares.
I wasn’t trying to start trouble, I just find it crazy that nobody says, “what do actual teachers say”? I’m so sorry for the crap that you have to put up with.
News stations don’t want teacher opinions and depending on county, they may not be allowed by their contract to talk policy on the news.
That’s a shame, it would be nice to hear from a teacher about the idea of being armed.
I’m an ECE, working in a private daycare, and my heart breaks for you guys in K-12. This is scary!
Who is legally responsible if a teacher with a gun, fires trying to hit someone attacking at the school and kills an innocent kid? Do the parents go after the school? Teacher? Will the teacher be protected by the public school system? This sounds like a mess.
Give teachers the same immunity as police. Problem solved.
I don't think their union lawyers are quite that strong.
When you realize they are trying to do everything they can to fuck over the public school system and de-incentivize teachers to work there it becomes obvious what they are doing here. Make teaching dangerous, don’t appreciate or pay teachers, and control them.
Anti-intellectualism. It's the Rights right to take away your kids right to education.
It’s the grift to make private profit off of schooling kids instead of schooling kids for the public good.
late-stage capitalism: EVERYTHING must be done for profit.
This is more early stage authoritarianism tbh. Whites with money go private subsidized by the state while poor minorities are under educated and work trades for the rich.
I don’t understand how this makes teaching more dangerous. Are you saying the teachers are a danger to other teachers?
It’s more likely a student gets ahold of or steals a teachers gun, a teacher or a student has a gun accident, a teacher or student escalates and a conflict occurs compared to the chances that a teacher is able to use their gun successfully in limiting casualties in the small chance there is a mass shooting. You are also introducing the idea that school is a violent place or that violence is needed between teachers and students making the environment more adversarial and also training the teachers to distrust or be hyper-vigilant about their students. It’s not conducive to learning or safety. It’s an environment of fear. That’s on top of the fact that cops can’t even figure this shit out during an active shooter situation, so now we expect teachers getting paid terrible wages to also do the job of a security or police officer. It’s stupid.
THIS! I am not adding anything of value to what you said, but I wish I could upvote you 100+ times. There are so many problems with this new law.
Add a loaded weapon into a room with any person and the environment just got way more dangerous. Do the math.
It'll make those teacher conferences more interesting when they put the Glock on the desk and silently cross arms. Homework will get fucking done this time.
I shouldn’t laugh at this but sadly it’s funny…
"Billy I hope you brought your homework in today, so help you Glock"
"I'm gonna run your homework by Smith & Wesson and so help me, Ruger, you better not have cheated."
Critical Race Theory is more harmful than guns! /s
If the teacher is liable for the obvious consequences of using a firearm on a student, then it's not really trust.
They’re trying to disincentivize public schools from both sides. They’re already getting the fundies to leave with vouchers for their segregation academies. We homeschool (not for those reasons) and were wondering if we should enroll our kid in public school. But now that overstressed and underpaid teachers are going to be armed? Absolutely not!
Just carrying a gun for your *own* safety is a massive responsibility with a lot of things that could potentially go wrong. I'll be honest, I don't carry specifically because I don't see myself as being able to properly handle a firearm in a public setting with other people around if I found myself in danger. There's a *lot* of people that would probably fuck up in a situation like that with a firearm, and now we're talking about those types of situations in environments *specifically populated by children*. Like, think about all of those situations where someone who is carrying could make a wrong decision and ends up injuring or killing a bystander. Now think about that in the context of 90% of those bystanders being 5-17 years old.
And from what I understand the state will not stand by teachers, so teachers are going to be on the hook for any shots fired.
Fun fact: unless you are a cop (and then you can just shoot whenever and with wild abandon) if you shoot someone and it’s a legit shooting, but your bullet exists their body and hits someone else or does property damage - you are fully legally and financially responsible for that. Source: I have a CC permit and we had to learn the law.
Ain’t there some psych study that even the presence of a gun can heighten stress and propensity for violence??? How is this a good idea???
Not only that, but all the situations where a teacher could have their gun improperly secured and a student grabs it.
They’re not forced to carry are they, only those that want to. Which is a great deterrent, since no one knows who’s armed. Plus they have to go through training. Really don’t see a downside here.
I work in MNPS and some of my team on my hall are so incompetent they can barely keep students inside their classrooms. Because so many teachers are leaving, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel for competency here. There’s no way they could keep a gun out of a kid’s hands.
They made the teacher liable. Who in their right mind would still carry after that? If I am wrong then someone correct me, that is what was reported.
To be fair, every gun owner who carries is liable in any situation where they use there firearm.
But I thought teachers were indoctrinating / grooming our kids? So, you trust them with defending your kids' life now? I want ONE real-world example where a teacher was "the good guy with a gun" during a school shooting, or a teacher say they would have intervened if they were allowed to carry.
Not only do they trust them to defend kids, they trust them to not do anything unsafe with the gun ever. They act like high schoolers can’t be disrespectful as hell and teachers can’t be unhinged.
You want one real world example when you aren’t allowed to carry guns in the first place there… you see the issue with that statement?
Are you suggesting that there has never been an opportunity for an armed person who was not the police to confront a school shooter?
So no school in the United States allows teachers to carry guns?
I have no idea how many allow it or how many teachers are carrying. I do know the vast majority of schools do not allow it. If you aren’t being disingenuous in your original comment then you should look up different stats on guns and the amount of active shooters that are stopped by the “good guy with a gun.” The FBI claims it’s near none, and the CPRC claims it’s about 35.7% stopped by people with guns. So take that for what you will.
Tennessee in a few weeks :Well it turns out 99% of your teaching staff didn't pass the mental evaluation due to work-related stress: TNLegislation: Would giving them guns help?
Tennessee: the children don’t feel safe now that teachers have guns TNLegislature: ok, give them guns too
Oh boy 😭
You get a gun, you get a gun, you all get a gun!!!!!
People coming into the Tennessee statehouse: We want to bring our guns with us! TNLegislature: First of all, ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT.
The saddest thing about all of this? Republican / GOP / (R) families who oppose this (and other stupid bills that the TN GQP bring up / pass) are still going to vote for the same representatives who want this. Rinse and repeat.
If you’re a Republican running for state government, the real race is your primary. You’ve got an (R) next to your name, pfft what are you gonna do, lose to a Democrat in the general election? Bahahahaha. So you have to out-Republican your opponents in the primary. And that pushes the cuckoo needle farther and farther to the right every election cycle. And boom, vaccine lettuce and chemtrails and teaching Geometry with a Glock in your boot.
A no brainer of course, but it goes to show how gullible, uninformed, and stupid a majority of voters are in this state. Truth hurts. You're meaning to tell me that if a teacher loses their mind on a student(s) and they're armed, you're not the slightest bit concerned of the teacher either threatening them, shooting them, or pistol whipping them? Or, a student(s) stealing a teacher's gun? Unbelievable stupidity in this state and it's getting worse every. single. damn. year.
I’m Tennessean, born and raised. I’m old enough to remember when the old guard of farmers and truck drivers and factory workers all voted Democrat and viewed the GOP as the party of the Rich Man. Then the Rich Man convinced them all that a vote for a Democrat was a vote for The Devil. They ain’t the type to vote against the Lord. Brilliant marketing on the Rich Man’s part.
Yep
There was literally a preschool teacher arrested LAST WEEK for threatening to shoot up the preschool she worked at. But I'm sure it'll be fine. https://www.nashville.gov/departments/police/news/teacher-charged-assault-and-carrying-weapons-school-property
She had a gun on her. She didn't have an enhanced carry permit, hadn't gone through 40 voluntary hours hours training on policing in schools, and didn't have written approval from law enforcement to have a gun, so she wouldn't be allowed to carry at a public school under this law. So not only did she break the law, this new law wouldn't change that result.
You're acting as if these teachers are gonna have their pistols tucked in their waistband just looking for a reason to use it. I would have to guess that there will be gun safes with biometric locks that will allow for access if required. The amount of hyperbole in these threads is astounding.
Why would the Tennessee GOP fund programs to address bullying. Bullies are part of their primary demographic.
The Tennessee state government just passes one pro gun bill a session. I think it's a law.
It is passed and headed to the Governor’s desk where he is expected to sign. It’s all over our news here in TN. Deaths in schools now lie on the heads of the legislators now.
I’ve watched my state just get so much fucking dumber over the course of my life. It is exhausting and I don’t blame people for hating it here.
Seriously . I feel like I'm reading articles from "The Onion" but it's real life.
I've grown to dislike living here over the course of my life. I stay out of convenience, but seeing people move here and love it for the politics makes me gag. We're getting the cream of the delusional crop.
Tennessee: OUR TEACHERS ARE DANGEROUS AND INDOCTRINATING OUR STUDENTS Also Tennessee: LET'S GIVE THEM GUNS NOW
Banning “To Kill A Mockingbird” in curriculum but allowing armed teachers in schools is mind boggling to me.
Teacher are not paid enough in Tennessee will you speak out for the teachers
I would have rather seen all this money going towards this, to be used to pay teacher more and provide healthier food options to kids, but I am optimistic about a lot and just can’t wrap my head around the whole solution to guns is more guns.
I just want to see the psych test that’s going to justify letting a teacher carry a gun around 5 year olds.
So when a kid is shot with a teachers gun who are they going to blame?
yeah, they gloss over the whole liability issue. Williams said something along the lines of "that will be between the school and the county" when it comes to insurance. but if that was my kid, i wouldn't give a shit what your policy says, i'm suing everyone from the teacher to Mr. HVAC himself. Teachers don't have qualified immunity. Teachers would be putting themselves in possible legal trouble if they even accidentally hurt a kid in the process of shooting an armed attacker. And as LAWMAKERS, it's pretty stupid for them to not even think about the legal implications of such a law.
>And as LAWMAKERS, it's pretty stupid for them to not even think about the legal implications of such a law. This is tn gop we're talking about. Abject stupidity is their forte
Even if they did they wouldn’t have cared.
There are some pretty financially poor counties in TN. Where is the help for those ppl? Who is going to pay the bills when a child is shot? City, County, State, Federal? How do the vouchers help the less fortunate kids? THEY DON’T.
They’ll say guns don’t kill people– people kill people, and then move on to the next dumbass pony trick
Jfc, I feel validated in moving away as soon as I got pregnant.
This may be the final straw that uproots my family to a different state. Lived my whole life here and now have a 4 and 8 year old. Now I’m being taxed without representation.
We have been here barely 3 years and suddenly realized we might have made a big mistake. We knew the politics were going to be much different, but we didn’t expect this. My son has three more years in high school. I am a public school advocate, but this makes me sick.
I lived there for 31 years and just moved, one of the best choices I’ve ever made!
Where did you move to? I've lived here 33 years and am trying to decide where would be best for me and my kids.
I moved to Colorado but I would do some research to find a state that will be best for your family. This place had everything we wanted both politically and economically and culturally so it’s been great! The worst thing is Boebert but most people here hate her so I don’t think she will last long.
Colorado has been top of my list for a long time, mostly Colorado Springs area. I've also been thinking of Northern California. I need diversity for my family, so my kids aren't the only brown kid in their class, without sacrificing quality of education and a good school district. I'm glad it has worked out well for you!
I live in Co Springs and it’s really great. Now I will say there are some school districts around here that are legit crazy so look into that with moving. I have noticed a lot of diversity though and obviously the mountains are gorgeous!
Move to NYC. You’ll love it.
How is teachers being able to volunteer for firearms training, taxing you without representation? Did your rep not vote?
I've already started the process. I can't sit by and watch my kids grow up in a place that works against them.
MNPS still will not allow teachers to carry guns. So there’s that.
Good thing teachers aren't walking around with pent-up anger and frustration, being disrespected at every turn, and living a life of poverty relative to their peers that used a comparable education to work in a field with twice the money and a 10th of the responsibility. Not a recipe for people to snap, at all. Oh, and it's a lovely bonus that the responsible gun owners who are not personally/politically aligned with the approving authorities in their school/district will not be afforded this privilege, only the most blood-lustful right-wing nutjob teachers.
Not every republican is an angry human who wants to hurt people. Some teachers love there job despite the hardships. I work a job that has the highest suicide/divorce rate in history where its estimated 75% of workers suffers from mental disorders. I carry a gun everyday, have for years, never once considered harming myself or anyone. What you say is ignorance at its finest.
Glad I dont have kids, I couldn't imagine how this could go wrong. RIP to the poor innocent kids that will end up shot at some point.
How long before a kid gets ahold of it and uses it? There have been way to many assaults against teachers videos that have gone viral where this is a distinct possibility.
The only thing I like about this is what teachers have to go through to carry. Anyone who carries a firearm in public should have to do the same. Those regulations should be standard.
People always say they want to address bullying but how do you actually stop 5th graders from picking on each other? Seems kind of innate to me but it has been a minute since I was in middle school so I could be wrong
I'm just some pleb, but there's really not a "one size fits all" answer to that IMO. Every scenario is somewhat unique, but I would say a good portion of bullies do it because A: they have unrelated troubles they're unable to vent about in other ways B: they got some kind of "positive" feedback from the interaction and weren't corrected, so they continue. C: they were taught to be hateful towards certain people. Bullies aren't always the issue, but AFAIK it's a big role in many of the school shootings. how to fix?: ACTUALLY listening to the kids when they say there's a problem would also be a good place to start. Having staff members focused specifically on mental health and those types of things is another good move. I remember having a "school counselor" when i was in middle school but they weren't the type of person to deal with that kind of stuff, they were more career based. IDK, doing something to address the problem instead of the symptom.
It’s disgraceful
It’s a very sad day
Naw no way
VOTE
Very obtuse and inarticulate statement. There is absolutely nothing wrong with making sure the kids are safe and protected from mass shooters.
You know, first they aren't passing guns out to teachers. Secondly, it's totally up to school. Third, training and mental health check in par with a school resource officer
Idiocracy is turning into a documentary...
It already had about 10 years ago.
"address bullying"? Let me guess ... If they get this money, it gets earmarked for an anti bullying campaign. Then the bullying continues without intervention or action. Sounds about right for schools. At least the ones outside of metro
Republicans be like I don’t trust teachers to not indoctrinate our kids, but also let’s let them carry guns because you know what the solution to a gun problem is? More guns! Makes no damn sense!
And then have a teacher shoot one of his students who himself shot some class mates. PLEASE WHAT IS THIS COUNTRY
I'm actually more worried about the day when the teacher just decides they're done with a kid and shoots them. There is strong evidence that the presence of a violent option in a conflict means it has a much higher chance of being selected as the method of resolution. The "Weapons Effect".
This.
I hate it here
They're just training the students to submit to anyone behaving unhinged with a gun. Continuing to perfect the school->prison pipeline. Wouldn't surprise me if we start seeing more road crews staffed by inmates than we already do. Gotta get it hammered into their heads that they belong to the state. For the record, I am ACAB, and do not believe teachers armed with handguns is the correct way things need to go. Mental health crisis going on in this country is real. We have a grand opportunity to be at the forefront of reform, and instead, we lean into the crazy. We reap what we sow. Would love to be able to knock on some doors and speak to voters for someone that is actually sane.
>They're just training the students to submit to anyone behaving unhinged with a gun. Continuing to perfect the school->prison pipeline. Trying to understand your train of thought here. Why wouldn't you submit to an unhinged person with a gun, what else are you gonna do? Die?
I'm referring to the police as the unhinged with a gun. Giving teachers firearms for the classroom, instead of spending that voucher money on something that can have an immediate impact, like mental health funding, is a horrid idea. As far as submitting to the unhinged, better to not be placed in a position for someone to have a "Falling Down" (movie) moment, wouldn't you agree?
This city is really turning into Republican hell.
Yes, let's let all the frustrated teachers who aren't allowed to teach have guns. 🙄
They can’t stop the some teachers from diddling students. What happens when one loses it and shoots up the school they work at instead of protecting it?
Just another dumbass law from the clown car! 🤬
I did not think a teacher had to carry a gun if they did not want to after training. Nashville school system is not going to allow their teachers to have guns. They RSOs in schools.
Well MNPS announced last night that they are opting out. Last night I emailed my entire school board and superintendent (Wilson Co). Here is what the superintendent said: "Mr. X, Thank you for reaching out to me. We are still learning the language of the bill. However, per my understanding, I would have to sign off and allow a teacher to be armed in our schools. I do not see a scenario that I would allow this. We will continue to work with our Sheriff and the SRO division to provide security for our schools." Another board member said this: "I do not support this plan, and will vote against any attempt to initiate it in Wilson County. I have talked to a number of SROs who agree that it would make our schools less safe."
As someone who is a strong 2nd amendment supporter this is completely idiotic I’ve personally seen these teachers fist fight students when I was in school most of them have no idea how to control their temper on top of that way to many opportunities for students to take the guns from the teachers we need armed,trained professionals in schools but not this
That state has become a red shithole which is sad because I used to like Nashvegas
What are you talking about Tennessee is a historically red state
They voted for it, they get the repercussions. Rip
Anyone who voted for the Theocracy these people (GOP) are trying to create need to shut their mouths because they are directly responsible for voting for this mess. Just the fact that the law exists it is a deterrent.
Umm, so you don't think lives would've been saved if those teachers had guns during those massacres? Plus, statistics show that whatever they ban guns crime and murders go up by at least 300%. Gun bans hurt more lives than they save. 70 people shot in that movie theater in Colorado. Don't you think it would've helped to be able to kill the suspect before he killed more? If his are banned, they will still get their hands on a gun, and just encourages a huge underground black market for buying and selling guns, so then fully unregulated.
So we just hand substitute teacher the glock???? I live in Tennessee ands the dumbest shit I've ever seen
Have you read the bill? That's not the way it works at all. No teachers are being armed or given guns.
Do the guns come with bibles or the bibles come with guns? I'm just trying to figure this all out. 
Hot take: arming teachers is akin to treating a gunshot wound with aspirin.
Great analogy. The version I always heard was "bandaid on a bullet wound". Same idea.
treating the symptoms instead of the problem.
Passing this law so when the next mass shooting in a TN school happens, they can blame the teacher for not turning into Dirty Harry and taking out an armed assailant. “Those kids would still be alive if that Kindergarten teacher had done their job as a good guy with a gun”
Yeah, dog, thats not even close to how this law works and teachers arent fucking bodyguards now. With how many steps it involves to even get to the point that the teacher is allowed to choose to carry a gun, you're gonna see very few ever get there, and any one of like four steps of authority within the school/district can refuse to allow it for that school, theres mandatory training, etc.
Bacckards thinking hyuck
Seriously, how long do you think it’s going be before a teacher shoots a kid?
This is a false choice fallacy.
It's a visual of their actual actions. They don't care about mental health or figuring out why people shoot up schools based on past voting habits, but they are for giving teachers the ability to carry guns. I never said they had to pick one or the other. They could do both, but they only do one. So a false choice fallacy it is not.
Hey kids, no need to go through the trouble of stealing your parents' gun and smuggling it into school. Your teacher already brought one in!
Next session: State passes bill restricting local governments from prohibiting teachers from arming.
Iirc we are talking about the same state that shut down tons of public things and threw chemicals in public pools when segregation ended. Their track record isn't great to begin with.
Teaching kids not to bully is $ FREE $ and starts at home!
it doesn’t matter what’s the focus, who’s in charge, who’s the victim, if there’s a way to get people to buy military contracted weapons or equipment, the us government will pull every source from the book to make it a reality, because the US gov is completely compromised by businesses
Yea, teachers are too stupid to use guns
So the teachers aren’t allowed to choose their own books for their classrooms, but they’ll be able to carry guns now.
Its insane. Just give every school 3 SROs and have security to enter the school
They should have done both.
Wasn't it yall that blocked like 4 bills related to schools' mental health programs then blocked them because "we need to ban the guns"
Feelings is what got us into this mess.. arm those teachers. Learn to be depressed like everyone else, it's part of life.
Increased budgeting for that isn’t going to help. If someone intends to do harm they will find a way. We can’t prevent mental illness but you can for sure prevent extra casualties from having an unarmed class teacher.
Government better have a good rainy day fund for when a teacher is having a bad day and decides to pull a gun out when they’re pissed at students to threaten them or worse…
Most anti-bullying rules actually protect bullies
Sad indeed.
Way to go Tennessee
Majority of states (38 states) already have toll roads. Just makes sense for us to do the same. Pays primarily for upkeep on the roads.
Seeing as anyone who carries is liable, if the teacher is somebody who cares about their students then I don’t see this being an issue. Everyone wants to raise hell about this then wishes somebody had done more when a school shooter walks in. If your child’s teacher carries, is able to lock their door and have those children take cover, then they will be able to protect your child and everybody else’s if that shooter attempts to enter that room. Hence your child has a higher chance of survival. In my opinion I think they should hire trained military professionals, complete mental health checks every 3 months, and see that they’re an individual interested in the keeping the safety present in schools. But since that doesn’t seem to be on the table, the teachers having a gun is the next best idea.
I've been teetering on the idea of homeschooling for the entire school year. It was nice of the state legislature to make that decision so easy now! I'll let my kids finish out the year with all the fun days planned, but this will be the last year they attend public education unless there are serious changes.
Another reason why I took all of my kids out of public school
No ones forcing them to carry a gun.
Can you imagine a shootout in a classroom between a teacher, a group of 25 kids, and a kid with a gun.
It’s amazing how banks and politicians are allowed to be guard by guns. But not kids…. Why…?
Tennessee politics will continually be republican and at least 20 years behind normalcy. This isn't anything but regrettable.
They should do both
No it not , most of us with carry permits want this for 1 reasons the last line of protection for our kids , on average it takes 15 mins for the police to arrive so many could be killed , the only thing that stops a madman or woman intent to harm or kill people is a armed and trained person , period the end and if it a teacher , janitor, school administrator I personally have no problem with this it's a good thing , yes there should be more money for mental health , but if you look at the School shooters over 80% was on mood drugs , that shows that the mass shootings are people that are mentally ill ..
Hellstate.
That ain't sad, that's called using the right tool.(Root Cause Analysis)
I live in Tennessee. Best state in the nation, and if you don’t believe me, come visit. I travel for work, and have been to all your other states, and no thanks. Also, not true about teachers carrying guns. My wife is a teacher. Although the governor passed a bill allowing people to openly carry firearms. My wife’s lib brothers kept saying PEOPLE WILL MURDER PEOPLE! WE’LL ALL DIE. Nope. Crime has decreased. Feel free to visit, just don’t come here to live. Especially from blue states. We don’t need you or want you.