A bill in Tennessee that will allow teachers to carry guns in schools was signed by Gov. Bill Lee on Friday, April 26.
The bill, HB 1202, brought by Cookeville Republican Ryan Williams, was approved by the Senate with a 26-5 vote on April 9. The following week, the House passed the bill with a 68-28-2 vote.
This bill would permit school faculty or staff to carry concealed handguns on a school campus under certain circumstances. Teachers opting to carry would need to complete 40 hours of annual firearm training at their own cost, gain approval from the school director, pass a mental health assessment, and clear an FBI background check.
Robertson County Schools director, Dr. Danny L. Weeks, released the following statement in regards to the bill:
“The Tennessee State Legislature passed a law which would allow districts to provide a mechanism to arm teachers if they possess proper law enforcement training and certifications. I respect the decision of the Legislature and any School Superintendent that believes such legislation is best for their situation.
Student and staff safety remain our top priority in all we do in the district. In Robertson County we have an excellent relationship with the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Van Dyke and his staff provide trained law enforcement officers who serve as School Resource Officers (SRO) on each of our campuses. We are thankful to the Sheriff’s Office and each of our municipal police departments who are partners with the
school district to provide a safe and secure learning environment for our staff and students, and for always being ready to support our district’s needs whenever they arise. Additionally, we have regular communications with the Tennessee Highway Patrol who assist in protecting our campuses. Recently, we have established a relationship with the Department of Homeland Security, who has assigned a dedicated special agent to our
region to assist with threats.
Along with the relationships we enjoy with these partners, each of our campuses regularly reviews emergency and safety plans. We regularly practice the drills for emergency situations and adjust as needed. Though no measure can guarantee safety, we believe we are prepared with these and other measures in place. With these things in mind, I simply do not believe it is in any of our best interests in Robertson County to arm educators at this time. Our administrators, teachers, and staff have many responsibilities as we daily seek to provide the best education we can to our students. Our administration has extremely high expectations for all staff in providing that education. As Director of Schools, I do not see blurring the line between education and law enforcement.”
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