Tennessee lawmakers pass bill to arm school teachers with guns

April 23 (UPI) -- Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday to arm teachers with guns. The bill, which now heads to the governor's desk, comes one year after a mass shooting at a Nashville elementary school killed six people, including three children.

Tennessee's House of Representatives approved the measure Tuesday afternoon by a vote of 68 to 28 amid heavy security and loud protests of "blood is on your hands" and "vote them out" in the chamber, after the state Senate approved the bill earlier in this month.

"Tennessee Republicans just cut off debate and passed a bill to arm teachers in our schools," Democratic Rep. Justin Jones wrote Tuesday in a post on X.

"The public chanted 'Blood on your hands!' as the Speaker ordered troopers to clear the gallery. This is what fascism looks like," the lawmaker said.

HB 1202/SB 1325 would allow specially-trained teachers to carry concealed handguns without parents knowing which teachers were armed.

Republicans state Sen. Paul Bailey and state Rep. Ryan Williams introduced the measure, which stalled more than a year ago, to "create a deterrent" to school shootings.

"I think we need this bill," Williams said. "It's to create a deterrent. Because we all know the deterrent is the greatest value we can add at this point. It would be hard to keep our kids secure because the hearts of men are broken. It's one of these gun-free zones where people know they can take advantage of folks."

"This is our reaction to students and teachers being murdered in a school?" countered Democratic state Rep. Bo Mitchell. "Our reaction is to throw more guns at it. What's wrong with us?"

The bill was introduced in January 2023, more than two months before the shooting at the Covenant School where a former student killed three 9-year-olds and three adults. Audrey Hale reportedly fired 152 rounds from an assault rifle during the March 27, 2023, shooting spree that killed six people. She was killed by police.

House Democrats tried to amend the bill to allow parents to know if their child's teacher is carrying a weapon, but without success.

"This bill is insane," said Jones, who was expelled last year over what he called a Republican move to limit debate. "For God's sake, you don't hear. You should be ashamed. You hold our state at gunpoint. May democracy see you out of your seats."

Under the bill, teachers wanting to carry guns would have to obtain a background check, undergo a psychological exam and receive written authorization from the principal, the superintendent and the head of law enforcement for their city or county.

The teachers also would have to complete 40 hours of training in school policing and 40 hours of training each year.

Several school districts said they have no plans to arm their teachers.

"We have a strong relationship with the Metro Nashville Police Department and agree that it is safest for only approved active-duty law enforcement officers to carry weapons on campus," said MNPS spokesperson Sean Braisted.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee recently told reporters he would examine the bill thoroughly before signing, but said he supported the idea.

"It's very important what the details of that legislation would look like. I'm open to the idea. But very dependent on the details."