Protesters gathered outside the Tennessee State Capitol on Tuesday to denounce a bill passed by the Republican-controlled House that would allow some teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on public school grounds. The bill, which passed by a 68-28 vote, would bar parents and other teachers from knowing who is armed on school property. Four House Republicans and all Democrats opposed the bill, which the state Senate previously passed. Following the vote, members of the public who oppose the bill confronted Republican lawmakers, leading House Speaker Cameron Sexton to order the galleries cleared. The proposal presents a stark contrast to the gun control measures proposed by Governor Bill Lee in the wake of the deadly shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville last year. Republican legislators swiftly rejected Lee’s push to keep guns away from people deemed a danger to themselves or others. A veto by Lee appears unlikely, as it would be his first since taking office, and lawmakers would only need a simple majority of each chamber’s members to override it. Republican state Rep. Ryan Williams, the bill’s sponsor, argued that allowing certain school employees to carry guns would create a deterrent against potential school shootings. However, opponents of the bill, including Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones, argue that it is a reckless and dangerous policy that will put students at risk. The bill includes provisions that would require school administrators and police to approve employees who want to carry guns, and mandates 40 hours of handgun training. It also prohibits guns at school events in stadiums, gymnasiums, or auditoriums. Despite the passage of the bill, it remains unclear whether any school districts in Tennessee will take advantage of the new law. About half of the U.S. states allow teachers or other employees with concealed carry permits to carry guns on school property in some form, according to the Giffords Law Center, a gun control advocacy group. In Tennessee, a shooter indiscriminately opened fire at The Covenant School in March 2023, killing three children and three adults before being killed by police. Despite subsequent coordinated campaigns urging significant gun control measures, lawmakers have largely refused, dismissing proposals by Democrats and even during regular annual sessions and a special session. While the bill passed by the House includes some limited gun restrictions, such as prohibiting convicted felons and individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms, it falls far short of the comprehensive gun control measures advocated by Democrats and gun safety groups.
Tennessee House Republicans Pass Bill Allowing Concealed Guns in Schools, Igniting Protests
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