Hassan Magulumali
Tennessee House Republicans on Tuesday passed legislation to allow some trained teachers and school staff to carry handguns despite pleas from Democrats, students, and gun-reform advocates to defeat the bill.
The Bill was approval in a 68-28 vote within the Republican-majority Tennessee House, following earlier passage in the state’s Senate.
The debate over gun legislation in Tennessee increased after a tragic shooting in a Nashville school last year claimed the lives of three children and three adult staffers.
Some Democratic representatives, who had been briefly expelled from the House for leading protests within the Capitol, continued to voice their dissent.
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“This is an awful day for Tennessee, our kids, our teachers, and communities.” State Representative Justin Pearson, a Democrat reinstated after his expulsion, lamented the decision on social media, stating, “Instead of protecting kids, they’ve protected guns again!”
Advocates of the bill, primarily Republicans and conservatives, argue that arming teachers serves as a deterrent to potential school shooters, citing the string of school shootings in the U.S. over the past 25 years.
However, opponents express concerns over the potential for tragic accidental shootings with guns present in schools.
Armed teachers, who will be required to undergo training that some opponents have argued is not intensive enough, will be allowed to carry handguns in their classrooms and most campus situations without informing parents and most of their colleagues that they’re armed.
The bill could become law within weeks, as Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee can either sign it into law or allow it to become law without his signature. Lee has never voted a bill.
Teachers must meet requirements, including handgun carry permit,written authorization from the principal and local law enforcement, and 40 hours of handgun training.
Additionally, the legislation check criminal and mental health background for all teachers.
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