Pandemonium erupted at the Tennessee State House last Tuesday after the state’s legislature passed a contentious bill allowing teachers and school staff to carry concealed handguns on school premises without parental notification. The chaotic scene involved students and protesters staging a “die-in” and vocally opposing the decision, leading to the removal of parents from the gallery by state troopers.
Amid the commotion, at least one state lawmaker alleged that physical altercations had taken place within the legislative chamber.
With a vote of 68-28, the Republican-dominated legislative body approved S.B. 1325, with four Republicans and all Democrats voting against the bill. Should the measure be enacted, it would mandate training and authorization from school officials for those carrying firearms on campus while excluding the necessity of notifying parents or other school staff.
The bill, a year following Tennessee’s deadliest mass shooting, seeks to extend firearm-carrying liberties on school grounds to school staff members holding an enhanced handgun permit, provided they meet specified criteria, including stringent training and certification requirements.