Tennessee Senate passes bill allowing teachers to carry guns

(NewsNation) — Tennessee lawmakers have approved a proposal that could see public school teachers armed in classrooms.

Senate Bill 1325, passing with a 26-5 vote in the Senate, would allow faculty or staff members who meet certain training requirements to possess and carry a handgun or firearm on school grounds.

Several parents protested the legislation, chanting “Vote them out” and “Kill the bill, not the kids” at the state Capitol.

The proposal now awaits a House floor vote, where it’s expected to pass, and will take effect immediately if signed by Gov. Bill Lee.

The bill was introduced shortly after a shooting last year at The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville, that left six dead, including three children.

Out of respect for the victims, lawmakers decided last year to delay debating the matter on the gun legislation, although some private schools in Tennessee already allow teachers to carry guns.

The bill would require teachers who carry to have a permit, receive written authorization from local law enforcement and complete 40 hours of basic training in school policing.

Notably, it does not require teachers to be armed or use their weapons during an active shooter situation, and it maintains that educators who carry will be kept confidential.

Melissa Alexander, a Nashville mom who identifies as a conservative Republican gun owner, supports gun rights but told NewsNation she opposes the bill.

Alexander’s 10-year-old survived The Covenant School shooting. She’s vehemently against the bill, noting that her child’s teacher kept the class silent and out of the shooter’s attention.

“If a teacher were to be armed and they left the classroom, and say they got the children settled, they go out of the classroom to try and go against this active shooter situation with a small handgun against a long gun — it’s most likely that that teacher will die,” Alexander said.

Supporters of the effort, such as Sen. Paul Bailey, R-Tenn., who sponsored the bill, argue it’s vital for rural areas with limited law enforcement and longer response times.

“Not all schools and school systems could afford a school resource officer. This was just another line of defense that … would be possible for schools to use, especially in the rural areas,” Bailey said.

As of 2023, 34 states currently allow teachers to carry firearms in classrooms, according to Everytown Research & Policy.